Always Be My Baby
by Anodynic Love
Summary: You think I don't understand you?" "Yeah," "You know what, maybe I don't. Otherwise, why would you be acting like such an ARSE?" Love is hard. OliverOC
1. Year 2 Chapter 1: Little Secret

This is replacing my previous attempt 'Mesmerized'. I withdrew it because there were a few things I decided to change a few things and there were a few things I got wrong as well. For example, when Harry Potter is in his second year, Cedric is in his fourth year; not his fifth. The updated information is below. Additionally, I realized I needed to stretch this fic out a bit; so expect a bit more George/OC moments.

I also noticed that 'Mesmerized' had only one review and fifty-six hits. So I plead with you guys to please review because it really means a lot to me. Just say like 'Great chapter' or 'Please update'; ANYTHING. Just please review, it will mean a lot. I also accept constructive criticism.

Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood – First Year

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy – Second Year

Katie Bell, Cho Chang – Third Year

Ashlyn Spencer, Raine Lee, Fred & George Weasley, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Cedric Diggory – Fourth Year

Roger Davies, Penelope Clearwater – Fifth Year

Oliver Wood, Percy Weasley – Sixth Year

* * *

A redhead weaved past crowds of Hogwarts students bidding goodbye to their parents. She was on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, about to board the Hogwarts Express accompanied by a dark-haired girl. "I really don't like people," the redhead commented as she bumped into a few more people. The other girl rolled her eyes at the latter's dramatic statement. "Present company excluded of course," the redhead amended quickly.

"Of course, Ash," The dark-haired girl said dryly. "Have you seen Fred and George?"

"Nope, they're probably late," The redhead replied. She was Ashlyn Spencer; a Hogwarts Ravenclaw attending her fourth year in the renowned school. Her companion was her best friend and roommate, Raine Lee. Both girls wondered where their twin best friends were. "We might as well get on the train and-"

"Oy, wait up!" Two flaming redheaded blurs caught up behind Ashlyn and Raine. "That…was…close…" Fred Weasley panted, bending down to massage the stitch at his side. His twin moaned in agreement, heaving his trunk up onto the train.

"Haven't been exercising, Fred?" Ashlyn teased, hauling him up alongside her.

"Quite the opposite, my dear Spencer; I have been buffing myself up to impress a certain lady this year," Fred stopped short as he took a proper look at Ashlyn, "Guess I'm the only one, huh Spence?" Ashlyn turned pink.

"What are you talking about?" She asked offhandedly as the four of them set off to find a compartment.

"You know what I mean," Fred pressed excitedly, looking at her up and down. "You definitely did something with yourself."

"You're babbling, Fred," Ashlyn said stoutly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Fred rolled his eyes, "Fine," Turning to his twin, Fred asked, "Anything strikes you about our lovely Spencer?"

"Ah an empty compartment," Ashlyn cut in briskly, sliding open the door. As the four of them settled down, George peered at Ashlyn. "God, there's nothing different about me, alright?"

"No there is," George said thoughtfully, "Did you cut your hair?"

"Yes, I did,"

"No that isn't it, George," Fred said, closely scrutinizing Ashlyn, "Maybe it has something to do with wearing Muggle clothing," Fred whistled as he checked out Ashlyn's attire. She wore a skirt and plain top. "Thought you didn't like skirts," Fred said smugly.

"Past tense, Fred," Ashlyn shot back, "Maybe it has something to do with my skirt; so what? Nothing's changed." She leaned back against the seat. Before Fred could speak, the sliding door opened once again; announcing the arrival of Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Oliver Wood.

Oliver Wood; the sixth year Gryffindor Ashlyn happened to have a humongous crush on. Ashlyn was the type of girl who was more comfortable around boys. Save for Raine, a few other Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, Ashlyn normally interacted more with the opposite sex than her own. Still, whenever she saw Oliver, a curious feeling would overwhelm her. Her face would feel hot, her heart rate would speed up, her hands would tremble and her voice would go off key. Only when Quidditch became the main topic, she would feel at ease. "Hey all," Angelina greeted.

"Ah, Spencer," Oliver said, "I've been waiting all summer for this," An anticipatory lump grew in Ashlyn's throat.

"Oh?" She controlled herself as he took a seat opposite her. Her heart fluttered in her ribcage as she found herself staring into those soulful brown eyes again.

"Quidditch," Oliver declared, his eyes dancing with obvious excitement. Ashlyn deflated, her hopes running out of her like water out of a tap. 'Of course,' she thought to herself quietly. 'It's always Quidditch.' Leaning forward, Ashlyn smoothed her features to let a smile cross her face.

"I told you the Tornadoes would crush Falcons," Ashlyn grinned smugly. "At the expense of one of their Chasers of course," Oliver shook his head disbelievingly.

"I can't believe the Falcons, despite their motto, still lost." Oliver said.

"Jeez Oliver," Ashlyn shook her head, "Their motto has got nothing to do with their performance other than being extremely violent. Thank god the Tornadoes pulled through; the Falcons play real dirty sometimes."

"It's Quidditch," Oliver pointed out, "We expect casualties."

"Uh," Ashlyn bit her lip; there was something in those words Oliver just spoke. Possibly bitterness, "What about the Wimbourne Wasps and Appleby Arrows match?"

Oliver brightened, "That match was brilliant! Always knew the Wasps – Arrows match would be memorable." Ashlyn nodded in agreement.

"And it was so close! The Wasps were just a hundred and forty points behind and then their Seeker swoops in, getting the Snitch and winning by ten points!" Ashlyn recounted, relishing the epic scene between the two rival teams. She and Oliver exchanged casual high-fives. Suddenly remembering who she was speaking to, another red-hot blush rose to Ashlyn's face.

"I never liked the Wasps much," Angelina spoke, drawing Oliver's attention away from Ashlyn, "They're much too obnoxious for me." Oliver laughed.

"By the way, Spence," Oliver turned to Ashlyn, who had managed to beat down the blush, "Mind sending a message for me to Davies? Yeah, tell him he isn't going to win the Quidditch Cup this year." Oliver said in satisfaction.

"Speaking about obnoxious Quidditch teams…" Ashlyn commented, making the whole compartment laugh. "I'll personally pass the message, Oliver. Mind you, the reply won't be favorable 'cause Ravenclaw will definitely get that Cup this year; just like last time."

"Now, that's where you're wrong," Oliver disagreed, a shadow of pain crossing his eyes; remembering the Ravenclaw – Gryffindor match in the previous year. Harry Potter had been in the Hospital Wing and Gryffindor had to play with six players.

"This will be a never-ending squabble," Fred interrupted before Ashlyn could retort. "Let's play nice now," He mockingly wagged a finger at Ashlyn and Oliver, an imitation of his mother. The other two laughed, relaxing on their seats. "That's better." Fred said in satisfaction.

Soon, Ashlyn and Oliver fell into another Quidditch conversation; Angelina, Alicia, Fred and George were laughing over holiday memories whilst Raine was silently listening, a small smile appearing on her face whenever laughter broke out but ultimately staring at the direction of Ashlyn and Oliver deep in conversation. George noticed Raine's lack of involvement in the reminiscing. "Hey, Rae," He used her nickname, taking the seat next to her and following her line of vision, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Raine smiled gratefully for George's company.

"Bored?" George asked lightly, "Because seriously, it's really weird that you're looking at Wood and Spencer with that odd dreamy look." Raine blinked, the strange look gone from her eyes.

"I wasn't dreaming," Raine defended, "As for you, Mr. Weasley, as your letters have suggested, you have had a boring holiday as well."

"Not really boring; more like uneventful. Not until Fred and I got Harry out of the Muggle house." George grinned.

"Be thankful you guys weren't caught," Raine prodded George's arm sternly. "Thanks for the birthday present though."

"It was nothing," George grinned, secretly lacing his fingers with hers. "Does Ashlyn know about-?"

"No, I didn't get round to telling her yet. Soon," Raine squeezed his fingers then quickly letting go. "Listen, do you think Oliver and Ashlyn look good together?" Raine sneaked another look at Oliver and Ashlyn. "Because, seriously, I think they are made for each other. Like fate or something like that,"

"I thought you deal with facts and all the stuff in books." George glanced at Raine in surprise. Raine rolled her eyes and bopped George on the head.

"I happen to be very open-minded." Raine sniffed, smiling knowingly at George. He let out a soft laugh, taking her hand. The smile sliding off her face, Raine slipped out of George's grip as inconspicuously as she could. "Did you tell Fred?"

"Tell me what?" Fred suddenly piped up.

"That you're brilliant," Raine said with a straight face. George smacked a hand to his forehead and glared mockingly at Raine.

"Oh thanks, NOW he knows." George declared dramatically.

"George!" Fred said in a similar dramatic voice, "I never knew! Actually," Fred dropped the act, "I did. What's going on?" The commotion drew Oliver and Ashlyn away from their Quidditch talk.

"Nothing," Raine arched an eyebrow and nudging George's foot with hers. "Right, George?"

"Yeah nothing," George said; a note of resignation in his voice.

* * *

The older students filed into the Great Hall to start the Welcome-Back feast. Raine and Ashlyn separated from the Weasley Twins, Oliver, Angelina and Alicia to join the Ravenclaw table. They greeted their Housemates cheerfully before sitting down; Ashlyn in between Roger Davies and Cho Chang, Raine across Ashlyn. "Oh I've got a message from Oliver," Ashlyn turned to Roger. The Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain grimaced.

"Telling me that Gryffindor will win the Cup this time?" Roger said in a bored tone. Ashlyn laughed, nodding. "It figures." Roger muttered before twisting around to hiss at Oliver, "Oy Wood!" The boy in question turned to face Roger. "Don't insult me just because I became Quidditch Captain!" Oliver grinned.

"I know that," Oliver drawled. Shaking Roger's hand, Oliver said, "Congrats on becoming Captain; can't wait for the Gryffindor – Ravenclaw match."

"Better take that back," Roger said good-naturedly, "I've got a strong team, don't forget." Turning back to the table, Roger grinned to himself before facing Ashlyn and Cho. "Listen; there will be Quidditch practice this Saturday. I will have to book the pitch as soon as possible." Nodding, Ashlyn turned to face the teachers' table. Professor McGonagall was unrolling a scroll containing all the first years' names. Sorting began and ended; much to Ashlyn's happiness. Delicious food spread out on all four tables; conversation and laughter soon filled the Hall.

Raine kicked Ashlyn underneath the table, "Hey, so what's going on with you and Oliver?" Ashlyn glanced around; ensuring everyone else was engaged in conversation before speaking.

"The usual of course," Ashlyn said, picking at her mashed potatoes, "Quidditch, Quidditch and more Quidditch; although I adore the sport, it just bugs me that if I didn't know or like Quidditch, Oliver would probably never notice me." Raine nodded in resignation. It was a known fact; if Oliver could marry anything, he would probably marry Quidditch. "About time I faced the facts, right?" Ashlyn said, smiling sadly at Raine.

Raine hesitated, "Maybe you should move on, you know?" Raine said awkwardly. "I mean, it's been like two years? Maybe you should see someone else who is actually interested." Raine pointed out. "I'm not saying Oliver isn't suitable; it's just," Raine racked her head, "He's such a thickhead!" Lowering her voice quickly, she continued, "I want you to be happy, Ash. And Oliver Wood certainly isn't making you happy-"

"Look, dessert!" Ashlyn pointed out hastily. Taking a slice of chocolate cake, Ashlyn's hands shook slightly as she recalled how her crush on Oliver blossomed in the first place. He seemed to be unlike any other boy she knew; he was neither a player nor no fun nor a total control freak. Oliver exuded this aura that everyone respected even though he was only Quidditch Captain, he was more respected than Percy; and of course, his good looks charmed all the girls. However, Oliver remained happily oblivious about his ability to attract the female sex and dove into his passion for Quidditch. It was one of the things Ashlyn liked about Oliver, his dedication to Quidditch; but at the same time, it was one of the things about Oliver that vexed Ashlyn to no end. She liked the way his eyes lit up whenever Quidditch became the topic; the way his voice became excited as he recounted Quidditch plays. Ashlyn mentally smacked herself, looking up when Cho elbowed her to share the latest piece of gossip.

"Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley got to Hogwarts in a flying car." Cho said dramatically. "For a couple of Gryffindors, they definitely have a flair for breaking a hundred rules." Ashlyn mumbled something in reply, her mind already jumping to the Quidditch Captain she liked so much at the word 'Gryffindor'. "Hey," Cho said, snapping Ashlyn out of her stupor, "Are you alright? Thinking of Oliver Wood again?" A sly smile crossed Cho's face.

"Am not," Ashlyn said quickly, glancing down at her chocolate cake that was the color of Oliver's eyes; brown, but dark with a hint of hazel.

"Okay, whatever you say." Cho said in a sing-song manner.

* * *

It was morning; the Great Hall was slowly filling up with sleepy students. Ashlyn was half-way buttering her toast when there was a commotion at the Gryffindor table. "What's happening?" Ashlyn asked Raine sleepily, who was sitting across her and facing the Gryffindor table. Raine craned her neck.

"It's Weasley's owl…" Raine squinted. "I think he's got a Howler."

"Oh boy," Ashlyn muttered and quickly plugged her fingers into her ears as an ear-splitting roar filled the Hall.

"…STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT HAD GONE…" Mrs. Weasley's voice had magnified a hundred times more, making cutlery and plates quiver. Ashlyn could only feel pity for Ron but a tiny stab of irritation that the Howler had jerked her out of her stupor. "…LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED…ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED, YOUR FATHER IS FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."

The Howler fell and burst into flames. Ashlyn slowly unblocked her ears and shook herself, trying to rid of the ringing in her ears. Laughter broke out at the Slytherin table and everyone soon returned to their own conversations. "Talk about an effective way of waking up," Ashlyn murmured before yawning again. Raine sniggered and passed her a Timetable that Professor Flitwick was handing out. Ashlyn scanned it.

"Charms, Transfiguration and Defence against the Dark Arts before lunch," Raine read. Ashlyn nodded and they both of them got to their feet. As Ravenclaws had Charms with the Gryffindors, Ashlyn poked George on the back. Knowing she was waiting for him and Fred, George turned around.

"It's too early!" George whined. "I need to wake up first!" With that, George let out an enormous yawn.

"I can help you with that," Ashlyn pulled out her wand, "Remember the Leg-Locker Jinx? That ought to-"

"No, I'm awake, I'm awake," George said quickly. Fred snorted and got to his feet. The four of them left the Great Hall. "I am actually looking forward to Quidditch practice more than lessons," George muttered. "Wood's madness might actually rub off on me." Ashlyn spun around.

"Quidditch is fun!" She cried, walking backwards as she spoke to George.

"Not the way Wood makes it," Fred cut in. "He acts as if we committed a crime when we try and make practice fun,"

Ashlyn laughed, "It can't be that-" Before she could finished, she had crashed onto someone else when rounding the corner. Shaking her head to clear the clouding confusion, Ashlyn crawled to retrieve her books. The Weasley twins were chuckling while Ashlyn began to apologize, "Sorry, all my fault, didn't see where I was going-" She babbled until she had a good look at the one she collided with. It was Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff fourth year. "Nice to bump into you, Cedric," She said lightly. "Even so, in the literal sense,"

"No problem," Cedric laughed, helping Ashlyn up while Raine and the Weasley twins gathered her books. "Hey," Cedric nodded at them as they straightened. Fred and George merely nodded while Raine smiled in response. "First match would be against Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw I heard," Cedric said, "Can't wait to play against you this year."

"Better take that back," Ashlyn laughed, "I might actually be able to break my record; maybe I'd get fifteen shots past your Keeper this time."

"Careful now," Cedric warned jokingly, "Fleet won't be all too pleased to hear that."

"It'll be our little secret," Ashlyn grinned. "I'll see you around!" Bidding Cedric goodbye, Ashlyn caught up to Raine and the Weasley twins as they rounded the corner to enter Flitwick's classroom. The four of them took seats next to each other as Flitwick began to address his class. As Flitwick was speaking, Fred scribbled a note and passed it to Ashlyn: **I'm bored. Entertain me, would you?**

Ashlyn rolled her eyes and wrote back: _No. Unlike you, I happen to like Charms. So leave me alone and listen to Flitwick!_

**You're such a kill-joy. You know I'm not much of a Charm-er!**

George seized the note to join in: That was pretty lame, Fred. And I'm bored too.

_You guys drive me crazy. _

Raine snatched the piece of parchment: _**Flitwick might be old but he isn't blind. Cut it out.**_

**But I'm BORED!!!!**

ME TOO!!!!!!!

_I am not gratifying that with an answer. You two can throw your tantrums somewhere else. And yes, I always knew you were never a Charm-er, Fred._

**Bet you think Diggory is one heck of a Charm-er…**

_EXCUSE ME????_

_**Your basis has no fact, Fred.**_

**Sorry, Ash. Meant nothing by it, I swear.**

_That is not what your knowing smile is saying. Spit it out, Fred._

**Cross my heart; I was only joking. Tell them, George.**

He doesn't mean anything by it, Ash.

_Fine, I'll believe you._

**Just that you were flirting a little with Diggory back there-**

_FRED! I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU MEANT NOTHING BY IT!!!_

**So I lied. Spill; you are so warm for Diggory's form.**

_Since when did you come to that conclusion?_

**Just now along the corridor…**

When you bumped into Diggory…

**Admit it. You were flirting with him!**

_So what did I say to make you arrive at that conclusion?_

'**It'll be our little secret'?? Who says that anymore???**

Sounds a bit suggestive if that is what Fred means.

_That doesn't mean a thing!!! Other than it meaning exactly the way I said it!_

**Which is…?**

…_Keeping my possible ability of getting past the Hufflepuff Keeper fifteen times a secret? GOD FRED!!!!_

**You said it in that tone like you wanted to-**

_Wanted to do what…?_

_**Now this gets interesting. Go on, Fred.**_

Thread carefully, Fred…

**Nothing, nevermind…**

_Now, will you PLEASE leave me alone now?_

_**I think Diggory is a good guy, Ash. You should try and get to know him.**_

_Rae…_

_**Look, it's just a harmless suggestion. I think Diggory is way better than W-**_

_Thanks, Rae._

**NOW, I say, this is interesting. You got a crush on someone, Ash?**

Oh, I am now all-ears. Or should I say: all-eyes?

_That was painfully lame, George. And no, I do not have a crush on anyone else. Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you two. Because if I did, I might as well put up a huge announcement during dinner; that way it'll be much faster._

**Oh well, George; at least we know the bloke's name starts with 'W'. Wait a minute…**

EW IT'S NOT WARRINGTON, RIGHT???

_GEORGE!!!!!!!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!!!!!_

I'M JUST SAYING!!!! HE'S A TROLL!!!!

_I can't believe you think I liked a guy like Warrington. He's a big mean bully, remember???_

**He's a Slytherin; of course he's a big mean bully.**

_Not all Slytherins are as nasty as he is. _

_**Adrian Pucey looks alright. Quite good-looking if I say so myself; so mysterious and broody-like**_

_Agreed_

WHAT???????????????????

**Calm down George. Let's think of other guys whose names start with 'W'. Isn't that like…us? You know, Weasley?**

You've got a point.

_Rest assured; I have not got a crush on you two._

**It better not be Percy or Ron.**

_What the-_

**OW! That hurt, Ash.**

_You deserved it. Say one more word and the punch will be harder than ever. _

_**Really, Fred**_

**Okay sorry. I shudder to think it anyway: you and Ron.**

I think I'm going to give up my breakfast now.

**Don't you dare! I was only joking!!!!**

If Ash actually ended up with Ron, won't she be called a cradle-snatcher?

_Shut up; I do not have a crush on Ron. _

**Yeah if it is anything; it probably is him having a crush on you than the other way around. **

_Whatever_

I can't think of anyone else except-

**Wood; that's IT!**

_What???_

**You're going RED! THAT MEANS IT IS WOOD!!!! ASHLYN SPENCER HAS GOT A CRUSH ON WOOD-**

_I am NOT going red!!_

_**Unfortunately, you are.**_

_NO I AM NOT!!! Fred, stop it with that insane look on your face. Stop grinning like that-_

**YOU REALLY DO HAVE A CRUSH ON OUR DEAR QUIDDITCH CAPTAIN!!!**

YOU DO YOU DO YOU DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

_Now see here the both of you. Flitwick is giving us the evil eye-_

**SHE HAS A CRUSH ON WOOD!!!!!!!**

WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US?????

_Right, like you guys are going to help me. Oh damn-_

**AND YOU JUST ADMITTED IT!!!!!!! **

Ashlyn and Oliver sitting on a tree…

**Bloody hell; I never knew, Ash.**

_Stop it; nothing is going to happen between Oliver and me, alright? _

**Not if I can help it.**

_Look, he wouldn't get the message. I tried already; just forget it._

_**They're not listening. Look at the way they're conversing with each other. They're planning something.**_

_Fred, George; I am serious. STAY OUT OF IT._

**Okay.**

Your wish is our command.

_I'm telling you- Wait, did you guys just-_

**Yes, Ash. George and I promise not to mess with you and Oliver. **

_You…do?_

Believe it.

…_Okay. Good, thanks then._

**No problem.**

_**Is it just me, or was that way TOO easy?**_

_I know. Oh god, I'm freaking out now- Oh god, you guys; please don't do anything stupid._

**Relax, Ash. Pay attention to Flitwick.

* * *

**Okay please drop a review. You will not regret it.


	2. Chapter 2: A Definite Possibility

Okay so I realized there were still some mistakes in my previous chapter. So apologies for that; I'll triple-check this in the future. Anyway I want to thank the people who reviewed. Namely; **JesskaLovesYou**, **Kenya**, **rukia23**, **OogieBoogie** and **Suni-Dlight**. You guys made my day. Hope you guys will enjoy this chapter. Let me know what you think please. Reviews will be a GREAT way of telling me how much you love this fic.

* * *

Ashlyn trailed into Lockhart's classroom, wincing as she took in the winking Lockhart portraits all over the walls. "Oh great," Ashlyn groaned as she took a seat. Raine grimaced as she took a seat next to another Ravenclaw, Cara Davis. "I am so not looking forward to this." Ashlyn muttered at Raine. "And I thought you were supposed to sit with me!" Raine grinned mysteriously before turning back to face the front as Ashlyn realized someone was already standing at her side. Looking up, she met Cedric Diggory's grey eyes.

"Hey, is anyone sitting here?" Cedric inquired politely, indicating the seat next to Ashlyn.

"Oh no, go ahead." Ashlyn smiled welcomingly. Shooting a quick glare at Raine, Ashlyn quietly seethed. 'Oh that conniving little-!' Smoothing her features, Ashlyn looked at Lockhart as he had just started to address his class.

"Did you read his books?" Cedric muttered softly as Lockhart started to speak.

"I didn't, actually," Ashlyn grinned in embarrassment, "Did you?" Cedric shook his head; the both of them laughed quietly. "Rebels, we are."

"Easy for you to say," Cedric leaned closer, "I'm supposed to be the hardworking Hufflepuff, remember?"

"What about me?" Ashlyn replied. "I'm supposed to be the smart Ravenclaw. And to be smart, I need to read. If Lockhart's giving a test on what we've read-"

"Let's start with a little quiz," Lockhart said cheerily, "Just check how well you've read my books…"

"Well, well," Cedric said, "A quiz; who would have thought?"

Ashlyn groaned. "Brilliant." Glaring briefly at Lockhart, Ashlyn glanced down at the test paper Lockhart had just placed on her desk. She read: _What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color? What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?_ Ashlyn's jaw dropped; the paper was basically about Lockhart. "This is total rubbish." Ashlyn hissed at Cedric who shrugged.

"Since the both of us didn't read his books, we might as well do this test together." Nodding, Ashlyn kept a sharp eye out for Lockhart as she and Cedric tackled the quiz together.

"I'll say rainbow is his favorite color," Cedric murmured. Ashlyn snickered softly.

"I say purple," Ashlyn said out of the corner of her mouth, scrawling the answer onto the parchment. "What about his secret ambition?"

"Maybe to get through a mob of fans without messing up his hair," Cedric smirked, scribbling the answer onto his paper. "What do you think?"

"To get Professor Snape to wash his hair…" Ashlyn whispered as she wrote the words onto her test paper. "Though I like your answer better,"

"Yours is just as brilliant." Cedric said sincerely.

"Thanks." Ashlyn said, feeling an odd blush rise to her face at the sudden compliment.

"Okay, so what do you think is Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?" Cedric continued.

"Getting a proper job as Defence against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts," Ashlyn muttered, checking that Lockhart was at the other side of the classroom. Cedric let out a laugh and quickly bent his head down as other classmates looked at them in curiosity. "That was close." Ashlyn grinned, poking Cedric's wrist with her quill. "You nearly blew our cover!" She accused jokingly.

"Sorry," Cedric muttered, still grinning, "Okay I think his greatest achievement is…" He looked up thoughtfully. "I can't think of anything. Mind if I steal your answer just this once?"

"By all means," Ashlyn said. "Go ahead." For the whole test, Ashlyn and Cedric exchanged answers, laughing quietly over the ridiculous answers they plotted together. By the time Lockhart gathered the parchment, Ashlyn realized how easy it was to talk to Cedric. Not that she had any trouble with any other boy, it seemed different somehow. Cedric was the perfect gentleman; complimenting her occasionally, charming her with his words. As Lockhart gathered their parchment, Ashlyn leaned in nearer to Cedric, "Hope we don't get detention for this."

"Relax," Cedric soothed, "At least we had fun doing the pathetic thing." Agreeing, Ashlyn glanced at Raine who sent her a knowing look. Rolling her eyes, Ashlyn looked at Lockhart who was scanning the answer scripts.

"I said in Year of the Yeti, my favorite color is lilac. Miss. Spencer said purple so I shall give that mark to you," Lockhart peered over the stack of parchment, "Where's Miss. Spencer?" Choking in disbelief, Ashlyn raised her hand. "However, the rest of your answers are unacceptable." Lockhart said as he read her script. "In fact, Mr. Diggory has more or less the same cheeky answers as you do." Lockhart wagged his finger at the both of them, then winking roguishly. "I'll let the two of you off this time." Sighing, Lockhart glanced off another direction with a dreamy look, "Oh how I remember what a trouble-maker I was." Lockhart laughed heartily, "Many of my peers admired my knack for cheekiness." Ashlyn dissolved into disbelieving giggles, clapping her hands to her mouth. Cedric glanced at her in amusement, controlling his urge to laugh out. Lockhart was oblivious to the two of them.

"Oh Professor," Ashlyn raised her hand after swallowing her laughter. "It's time for us to go for lunch." Lockhart startled, as if he jerked out of his own reverie.

"Very well, off you go then." Lockhart dismissed.

"I'll see you in the Great Hall," Raine smirked at Ashlyn before giving a small wave at Cedric. With that, Raine sped out of the classroom. Slightly stunned at Raine's sudden leave, Ashlyn packed her things and was about to go until Cedric spoke.

"Going to the Great Hall?" He asked. Ashlyn nodded affirmative. "Mind if I accompany you?"

"Of course not," Ashlyn let a small smile grace her features. There it was again, the flutter in her stomach. Together, they set off to the Great Hall; laughing over their answers for Lockhart's quiz. "…And when he winked, I was like 'Oh my god!'…" Ashlyn was saying. "I can't believe he's so thick!" Cedric chuckled at Ashlyn's astonished expression.

"Not everyone can be as smart as you," Cedric countered as they jogged down the stairs to the ground floor. Ashlyn flushed; another compliment he gave her today.

"I'm not smart," Ashlyn said lamely. "There are smarter people compared to me."

"Ah, but see there's always someone better than the best." Cedric shot back. "No need to put yourself down. There will always be those better and worse than you." Ashlyn grinned at the fellow fourth year.

"Maybe you should be a Ravenclaw," She suggested playfully.

Cedric shrugged, "Might think about it," He grinned.

"I thought Hufflepuffs were supposed to be loyal!" Ashlyn asked in mock amazement. "Maybe you should be in Slytherin then," She joked. Cedric laughed.

"Right, the Sorting Hat might be dreaming when he put me in Hufflepuff, huh?" Cedric commented casually as they fast approached the Great Hall.

"Nah, I'm sure he put you in Hufflepuff because the value Hufflepuff embraces is somewhere inside of you," Ashlyn said warmly, another dreadful blush rising to her face. 'Gods,' Ashlyn thought, 'how did I get so corny???'

"Hah, thanks," Cedric said. They paused as they reached the entrance of the Great Hall. They smiled awkwardly at each other. "Listen…" Cedric was saying.

"It was great," Ashlyn interrupted. "Defence against the Dark Arts turned out better than I expected. Partly because you were my partner and all…" Ashlyn's voice trailed off, twisting her fingers behind her back. Cedric smiled.

"Yeah, I feel the exact same way." He said. They shared a secretive smile before Cedric let her enter the Great Hall before him. "I'll see you later," Cedric nodded at her before departing to join the Hufflepuff table. Feeling strangely light-headed, Ashlyn headed towards Raine and took a seat.

"Well, well, well," Raine smirked, "Look who it is." Glaring at Raine, Ashlyn pulled a plate of Shepard's pie towards herself and picked up her fork. "Told you Diggory is better compared to Wood," Raine said smugly.

"So it's true then?" Cho asked eagerly as she took the place across Ashlyn, "You and Cedric are together?"

"Look," Ashlyn said sternly, "Yes, Cedric is great guy," She said to Raine, "But I don't know him well enough to compare him to Oliver." Then she turned to Cho, "And no, Cedric and I just had a class together; what's wrong with that?"

"Oh nothing," Cho grinned, "Just that word's gotten out that you and Cedric enjoyed a little time together during your Defence against the Dark Arts class."

Ashlyn threw up her hands, "We just sat next to each other! Does that send some kind of message to other people?" Rolling her green eyes, Ashlyn explained, "So if I'm sitting next to Raine all the time for classes, that means we're dating? No!" Ashlyn exclaimed in exasperation.

"Alright, calm down!" Cho laughed. "What they meant is that the two of you looked; and I quote, 'cozy' unquote, during Lockhart's class!"

"Come on," Raine chided, "At least admit that Diggory is a compatible person to be with. Ashlyn glanced up at the Hufflepuff table where Cedric sat with his friends, his back towards her. He was talking to one of his friends, a smile lifting at the corner of his lips. Cedric was typically the type of boy every girl fell for; his charm was difficult to resist. Biting her bottom lip, Ashlyn dreamt of Oliver treating her the same way Cedric did. Shaking herself, Ashlyn continued eating her lunch. "Well…?" Raine prompted impatiently.

Ashlyn looked at Cedric's back once again, finally saying, "Yeah, he's a definite possibility."

* * *

Soon it was the weekend. Ashlyn and Raine planned to do homework at the library after breakfast. After lunch, Ashlyn had Quidditch practice with her team and later, she and Raine would go down to Hogsmeade together. Waking at a reasonable hour, Ashlyn headed down to the Great Hall alone; Raine was probably already in the Great Hall. Catching sight of Raine next to George, Ashlyn bustled towards the Gryffindor table. Angelina was grumpy whilst Alicia and Katie were listless; Fred had his head buried in his arms. "Who died?" Ashlyn joked as she got closer.

Fred raised his head and Ashlyn saw the sleepiness in his eyes. "Huh…?" He muttered before slumping down again. Ashlyn blinked questioningly at the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

Angelina decided to explain, "Well, Oliver decided to get a leg up on Quidditch practice; meaning, he woke us all up at the crack of dawn. Anyway, he talked for an hour or so about strategies-"

"Was it an hour?" George asked; his voice unusually toneless, "I thought it took days…weeks maybe if I want to push it."

Angelina continued, "Anyway, we are about to try out the strategies when Slytherin comes with a signed note from Snape saying they have to train their new Seeker who is Malfoy." Nodding at Ashlyn's horrified face, Angelina said, "Tell me about it. Happens his father bought Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones for the whole Slytherin team."

"You LIE," Ashlyn whispered, "A Nimbus Two Thousand and One costs loads! To get brooms for the whole team; Malfoy must be stinking filthy rich."

"Filthy," Angelina agreed grimly. "So Hermione and Ron come along and Malfoy calls her Mudblood-" Ashlyn's face turned stony, "Ron tried to curse him and we lost our chance to have Quidditch practice."

"What do you mean by 'tried to curse him'?" Ashlyn felt a creeping foreboding in her heart.

"His broken wand backfired on him and he ended up belching slugs." Alicia reported. Catching Ashlyn's part disgust-part concern look, she added, "He'll be fine. Harry and Hermione took him to Hagrid's." The table fell silent. Ashlyn drummed her fingers on the wooden surface before standing.

"Do you know where Oliver is?" She asked.

"Probably at the courtyard," Katie replied. Nodding gratefully, Ashlyn grabbed a napkin and got a stack of toast with peanut butter and jam from the Ravenclaw table.

"I'll see you in the library," Ashlyn notified Raine. The latter nodded and motioned to Ashlyn to go on. Hurrying out of the Great Hall, Ashlyn made her way quickly to the courtyard. True to Katie's word, Oliver was sitting on the concrete seat; he looked down and depressed. "Hey you," Ashlyn called as she approached the Gryffindor. Oliver glanced up and smiled half-heartedly. "You looked like you just lost your Seeker." Ashlyn teased gently as she took a seat next to him.

"Today was a disaster," He said, deflating at the memory of the interrupted Quidditch. "I waited for long for practice and the bloody Slytherins had to destroy it with their bloody broomsticks…" Ashlyn giggled; she did not mean to. But Oliver saying the word 'bloody' was amusingly out of character. "It's not funny," Oliver rebuked her gently before helping himself to a piece of toast. Ashlyn bit her lip and calmed herself before speaking.

"Look, Oliver; it's only your first practice. It's not the end of the world; you'll get your practice, you'll get your team together; you'll work it out. This is just a hiccup, not a heart attack that can kill you." Ashlyn encouraged as she took a bite out of the other piece of toast.

Oliver sighed, "Somehow, that doesn't make me feel any better."

"What I mean is; your team isn't going down to the pits after missing first practice. Pull yourself together and book the pitch soon. But not too soon though; Ravenclaw is having practice after lunch today." Ashlyn added. Oliver laughed and gradually stopped, looking at her in the eye. Ashlyn felt herself reddening at the sheer intensity of Oliver's gaze. "What…?" She asked nervously. "Do I have peanut butter on my face?"

"No." Oliver said slowly, a slight smile lifting the corners of his mouth. Ashlyn found herself licking her lips subconsciously as well. "You're a great mate, you know that?" Ashlyn's smiled froze on her face, heart sinking to the pits of her stomach. He said it; she was just a pal, a mate, a great friend. Now, Ashlyn wanted nothing more than to run back to the Ravenclaw Tower and hide underneath the covers of her four-poster bed. "Are you alright?" Oliver asked in concern as he noticed Ashlyn had just turned pale.

"I-I'm fine." Ashlyn brushed him off, pulling herself together before beaming again, "So friend, let's get some food from the Hall; something tells me the toast wasn't enough." The two set off back to the Great Hall; Ashlyn hoping she could control her emotions and not let them betray her. As they rounded the corner, Ashlyn felt as if she was going to burst. "Oh I just remembered," Ashlyn suddenly stopped on her tracks, "I have to meet Raine in the library. I'll see you around." Making a detour, Ashlyn hurried away from Oliver who could barely get a word edgewise.

Ashlyn bustled into the library and glanced around, immediately catching sight of Raine's dark head bent over a roll of parchment. "I need to talk to you," Ashlyn said desperately, ensuring Madam Pince was nowhere in sight. Raine looked up in concern.

"Sit down for a bit," Raine whispered. "You look awful! Your face is blotchy and…" Raine squinted. "Are you crying?" Ashlyn blinked; attempting to rid of the burning feeling behind her eyeballs.

"No, no," Ashlyn said quickly. "Can we go somewhere?" Raine immediately packed her things and the two exited the library, heading towards the Black Lake.

"I've got something to tell you too." Raine said, "But you go first." They settled down on the grass at the edge of the lake.

"He said it." Ashlyn said dramatically, swallowing the lump in her throat. "He said that I'm just a great friend to him."

"Who said it?" Raine raised her eyebrows. "Diggory…?"

"No," Ashlyn said hollowly, "Oliver,"

Raine sighed and scooted closer to her best friend, "Oh," Raine said sympathetically. "What did he say exactly?"

"'You're a great mate, you know that?'" Ashlyn repeated; her tone expressionless.

"He could mean it the other way, you know." The corners of Raine's mouth twitched. Ashlyn whacked Raine's arm, unable to hide a grin.

"I'm SERIOUS!" Ashlyn cried, burying her head in her arms in humiliation. "I thought I had a chance." Moaning in frustration, Ashlyn looked up across the sparkling surface of the Black Lake. "Guess it is time I gave up, huh?" Raine bit her bottom lip. "No need to tell me; you never liked Oliver in the first place."

"It's not that!" Raine burst out. "I just think that Oliver is just a thickhead who won't be able to see it even if it danced in front of him wearing neon green." Falling silent, Raine watched anxiously when Ashlyn only managed to conjure up a weak smile. "Ash, I think you should really just leave this behind and move on. Like I said, Diggory's a great guy himself. Give him a chance, give yourself a chance." Raine persuaded. "I don't mean to brainwash you against Wood; think about it, please?" Raine asked; worry in her eyes.

Ashlyn nodded reluctantly, "Yeah, okay." She mumbled. "Anyway, you said you had something to tell me?" Ashlyn shifted her attention to her best friend; determined to be there for Raine just the way Raine was there for her. The dark-haired girl chewed on her lip even more. Just before Raine could speak, a shadow fell across the two of them. Glad for the distraction, Raine immediately looked up to find Cedric Diggory standing above them.

"Hey," Cedric said, nodding briefly at Raine before glancing down at Ashlyn. "Am I interrupting something?" He asked politely.

"Oh no," Raine quickly said before Ashlyn could reply. Getting up, Raine brushed the grass off her jeans. "It's fine." Shooting a look at Ashlyn to stay put, Raine turned to go. "See you, Cedric." She said over her shoulder.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Ashlyn got to her feet as well.

"Yeah, I'll be fine!" Raine reassured. "Don't worry about me." Bidding Cedric and Ashlyn goodbye, Raine hastily retreated into the castle. Cedric glanced at Ashlyn, searching her face.

"I wasn't intruding on anything, was I?" He prompted nervously.

"It's alright, no worries," Ashlyn assured, looking at the direction Raine went fleetingly before motioning Cedric to sit down on the grass with her. "So what's up?"

"Nothing, really," Cedric shrugged, "I saw you and Wood talking." Ashlyn bit her bottom lip unconsciously. Cedric pressed on, "You looked a little down after the two of you stopped talking."

"It was nothing." Ashlyn replied airily, brushing the twinge in her heart away. "Why? You were worried about me?" Ashlyn joked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"A bit," Cedric confessed; making Ashlyn redden. "Although comforting girls isn't a specialty of mine," That comment made Ashlyn laugh. "Is everything alright then?"

Ashlyn smiled sunnily, "Everything is fine. Thanks for asking though," She fiddled with a blade of grass, unable to look Cedric in the eye. Somehow, Ashlyn felt as if Cedric could see through her; it made her feel vulnerable. There they sat in companionable silence; watching the ripples of the Black Lake, enjoying the comforting wind that blew over the grassy fields. "You take Divination right?" Ashlyn finally spoke up.

"Yeah, you take Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. Meaning, you are taking ten O. next year." Cedric reeled off with a straight face. Ashlyn pasted a stern look on her face.

"Is that all you know about me?" Ashlyn teased.

"Alright then," Cedric rose to the challenge. "I'll think of ten things about you that I know of, you do the same about me." Ashlyn nodded in agreement. "Ladies first," Cedric grinned crookedly.

Ashlyn rolled her eyes, "How convenient." She smirked. Tilting her head back, she thought for a moment before she spoke again, "You're a Hufflepuff."

"I am?" Cedric commented hazily, making Ashlyn laugh and smack his arm jokingly.

"Yes, you are; my oblivious innocent." Ashlyn shot back smugly, "So that's one down for me." Laughing, Cedric nodded; motioning for her to continue. "You're a guy."

"Yes," Cedric sighed. "Hope I haven't done anything to make you think otherwise,"

"No, of course not," Ashlyn smiled sheepishly, "Okay, serious this time. You…" Ashlyn thought hard for a moment, "You like Quidditch."

"It's a great game." Cedric nodded. "Seven more to go,"

"You are the prized Hufflepuff Seeker." Ashlyn said. Seeing a grim smile cross Cedric's face, Ashlyn quickly amended her statement, "I mean; you're a really great Seeker."

"That's alright," Cedric said; shrugging as if it did not bother him.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean anything by it." Ashlyn apologized, shame welling up inside her body. Silence fell heavily on the two of them. "Okay," Desperate to quell the awkwardness, Ashlyn said, "Fact number five: You like Chocolate Frogs."

Cedric nodded slowly, "I like them enough…" Raking her head for another ice-breaker, Ashlyn grew frantic. Noticing her expression, Cedric placed his hand on top of hers. "Look Ashlyn," He said gently, "It's fine; don't worry about it. Come on, five more to go." He smiled gamely to put the redhead at ease.

"Uh okay, fact number six: You are the only child." Ashlyn said. "Fact number seven: You like Charms…?" Ashlyn looked at Cedric at the corner of her eye.

Cedric laughed, "Yes to the first, yes to the second."

"Fact number eight: You have had girlfriends before." Ashlyn smiled knowingly at Cedric who had the grace to turn pink.

"One or two," Cedric shrugged nonchalantly.

"I just got my fact number nine; you're a really good liar." Ashlyn teased.

"That may be so," Cedric admitted, "But what I say are most of the time sincere. Unless it has to do with reassuring girls of how they look; I'll be far gone." Cedric joked. Ashlyn laughed, relaxing a great deal.

"Okay, so if I asked you how I looked today; what will you say?" Ashlyn asked.

Cedric looked at her straight in the eye, "Beautiful," He said simply. Ashlyn's heart missed a beat; she could have sworn she stopped breathing as well. It was the first time Ashlyn was called beautiful by a boy. Her cheeks turned pink and she hurriedly tore her eyes away from Cedric's.

"Uh thanks," She found herself saying. Mentally smacking herself in the head for such a pathetic answer, Ashlyn cleared her throat. "About just now, when I said that you were Hufflepuff's prized Seeker-"

"Don't worry about that," Cedric interrupted. "I'm fine with that."

"You're not; I can tell." Ashlyn shot back, her hands going sweaty. "Look Cedric, I get it. To be so good in everything; it must be difficult to live up to the expectations. You hate to be seen as an object, something that people place all their hopes and dreams on. You want to be seen as human; you want people to see that there is a certain extent you can live up to. But it's hard because you have proven that you're capable of so much more. Still, you want to stop but it's difficult because everyone just expects a lot from you. And when the expectations grow higher and higher, you know you're going to break like glass; disappointing everyone else." Ashlyn took a deep breath, "You want them to see you as flesh and blood, not a god or something eternal."

Blinking, Ashlyn slowly calmed down; biting on her lower lip, hoping she did not insult Cedric. He was looking at her with a strange look on his face, like he was seeing her for the first time. "…Exactly," He finally said softly. A slow smile fanned across his face. "You're brilliant, you know that?"

Fighting down her blush, Ashlyn cleared her throat, "Okay, your turn."

"Right…" Cedric drew his right knee to his chest. "Number one: you're a Ravenclaw." Ticking them off on his fingers, Cedric continued, "Number two: you're a girl. Three; you love Quidditch. Four; you're Ravenclaw's best Chaser," Cedric watched as Ashlyn turned another shade of pink. "Five; you like Drooble's Best Blowing Gum."

Ashlyn looked up in surprise, "How did you know that??"

"Saw you chewing it in lessons before," Cedric replied casually. "It's not exactly a secret, you know." Ashlyn laughed, nodding; a sign for Cedric to continue. "Okay, number six: You're the only child. Number seven: You like Charms and Transfiguration. Number eight: You have had boyfriends before."

"Have to stop you there," Ashlyn said sheepishly. "I haven't had a boyfriend before." Realizing how pitiful she sounded, Ashlyn immediately clammed up. Cedric glanced at her in surprise. "Yeah; poor me," Ashlyn tried to laugh it off but Cedric was still looking at her intently.

"You're serious?" Cedric asked curiously. Ashlyn nodded slightly in embarrassment. "That's…good," Cedric said slowly. "N-not that it's good that you have never been with anyone; it's just…good." Cedric stumbled, much to Ashlyn's amusement. "You know what I mean."

"Right; anyway you've got two more." Ashlyn prompted with a secret smile.

"Number nine: you've got a beautiful smile." Cedric's comment made Ashlyn bend her head down so that her hair could hide her already-flaming face.

"Uh that isn't exactly a fact," Ashlyn pointed out, her face still hidden shyly behind her hair.

"It is to me; and I'm sure to many other guys as well." Cedric leaned back, propped up his elbows. Ashlyn finally lifted her head to enjoy the gentle breeze that happened to whisper over the fields.

"So what's number ten?" Ashlyn asked.

"Number ten…" Cedric tilted his head back to think. "Your wand is made of ash wood, with unicorn hair."

"That was random." Ashlyn laughed. "But isn't ash with unicorn hair YOUR wand?"

"Very good," Cedric nodded in amusement. "Mine is twelve and a quarter inches."

"Okay, my wand is made out of willow actually; ash would be much more appropriate though," Ashlyn commented. "Anyway, willow with a single unicorn hair from a female unicorn. 'Suitable wand for charm work'," Ashlyn quoted what Mr. Ollivander said to her that fateful day nearly four years ago. "Eleven inches," Ashlyn looked up at the sky, noticing the sun directly above. "…Cedric, what time is it?"

Cedric glanced at his watch, "Past lunch-" Before he could finish, Ashlyn was already on her feet. "Need to get somewhere?" Cedric called after her, a disappointed tone in his voice.

"I forgot I had Quidditch practice." Ashlyn admitted abashedly. "Sorry and," Taking a deep breath, she said in a rush, "thanks-for-the-chat-I-wish-I-could-stay-but-I-really-have-to-go." Rushing off, Ashlyn sped off towards the Quidditch pitch; heart fluttering in her chest as she recalled the gleam of amusement in Cedric's eyes. Screeching to a stop next to Roger, Ashlyn bent down to work out the knot of muscle that tightened up at her side.

"Where have you been?" Roger demanded sternly. "You were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago." Ashlyn waved her hand dismissively, trying to catch her breath.

"I'm…-huff-…here now…-huff-…" Ashlyn gasped, grabbing Roger's shoulder momentarily to get balance.

"Reluctantly, I'm sure." Cho teased, nudging Ashlyn gently in the ribs.

Roger frowned, "What do you mean by that? It's Quidditch!"

"Cho means nothing important," Ashlyn sent a death glare at Cho before heading to the changing rooms with the rest of the team to get changed into their Quidditch robes.

"What is it, Chang?" Roger pressed, determined to get to the bottom of the matter. The Ravenclaw Seeker grinned slyly at Ashlyn.

"Three words; Ashlyn and Cedric," Cho summarized.

"The Hufflepuff Seeker Diggory…?" Jeremy Stretton, the third Ravenclaw Chaser, asked incredulously. "Thought he wasn't your type; you know, pretty-boy and all."

"How can I have a _type_, Jeremy?" Ashlyn shot back. "Haven't dated anyone before…"

"So why go with Diggory?" Roger asked bluntly.

"Thanks ever so much," Ashlyn hissed at an innocent Cho. "Look you guys, nothing is going on between Cedric and I; alright?"

"Good," Roger said in satisfaction. "Can't have you fraternizing with another Quidditch player-"

"GOD," Ashlyn cried angrily, "What IS it with you guys and Quidditch??? It's ALWAYS Quidditch, Quidditch, QUIDDITCH!!! Don't get me wrong, I love the game; but COME ON!!! My personal life has got nothing to do with it so stop trying to drag it in!!" Trembling with fury, Ashlyn headed into the girls' changing room, slamming the door behind her.

"What's her problem?" Roger remarked in disbelief. "I said something wrong?" He glanced around at his team. Cho rolled her eyes and headed towards where Ashlyn had gone, muttering something about guys and their thickheaded-ness.

* * *

Please, please, please review. I would really appreciate it.


	3. Chapter 3: Star Chaser

Hey you guys. So I swore to myself that I would only update when I reached 10 reviews. Well, I did so here is Chapter Three. Sorry I forgot to add that there are scenes which I lifted from the book itself and those belong to J. K. Rowling. I am eternally grateful to those who reviewed; **rukia23**, **TheScarletSerpent**, **williammoseleysgirl**, **Kenya** and **SoWrong. ItsChristina**. These guys have made me happy that I wrote this fic. And thanks to those who put this pic on Alert and/or Favourites; but please, please do review. Just drop me a review saying you like it.

Note: Remember that Cedric is a fourth year and thus, is NOT Quidditch captain yet. Thanks!

* * *

October rolled in; bringing in a bout of cold that broke all over the castle. Especially for all four Quidditch teams; as each Quidditch Captain had been possessed with an insane demon to work their team to their deaths. It was not only Oliver but also Flint, Davies and Wright [Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain] who seemed determined to win the Quidditch Cup. Soon, every Quidditch player in Hogwarts was seen up in the Hospital Wing taking Madam Pomfrey's Pepper-Up Potion. Ashlyn herself soon found she had a bad case of the sniffles one morning and trudged into the Hospital Wing, only to see Cedric there too. He was wearing his Hufflepuff sweater, his arms wrapped around himself for extra warmth. Prodding him on the arm as a greeting, Ashlyn quickly turned away to sneeze.

"Quidditch practice…?" Cedric asked grimly. The two chuckled pathetically at their own plights. "Nearly got struck by lightening yesterday," Cedric offered. "Couldn't see the Snitch anywhere in all the rain," Ashlyn nodded doggedly.

"Tell me about it," She agreed sniffling. "Bludger nearly took my head off," Madam Pomfrey bustled into the Hospital Wing and clucked her tongue sternly at the two of them. Disappearing into another room, she reappeared with two goblets of steaming potion. "Bottoms up," Ashlyn said as she took a goblet. Gulping down the potion, smoke erupted from their ears. Feeling considerably better, Ashlyn giggled at the hilarity of the situation.

"Cheers," Cedric saluted hoarsely. Thanking Madam Pomfrey, the two left with Madam Pomfrey's threat to skin the Quidditch Captains if any other Quidditch player entered her Hospital Wing with a cold still ringing in their ears. "Where are you going?" Cedric asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Probably finish up my Charms homework," Ashlyn said. "Don't want to be riddled with homework on Halloween." Cedric nodded understandably as they rounded the corner, coming into view of many other Hogwarts students.

"Hey, look; TWINS!" One Gryffindor third year yelled, pointing at Cedric and Ashlyn who had still smoking ears.

"Hey Diggory; didn't know you were in a steamy relationship!" One Hufflepuff fifth year teased the Hufflepuff Seeker loudly. Catcalls and wolf-whistling soon filled the corridor. Cedric and Ashlyn both quickly bent their heads, quickening their pace through the throng of people. Laughter followed them as they jogged down the stairs.

"Sorry about that," Cedric muttered. "My friends, they like a joke." He searched her face for a sign of displeasure.

"It's okay," Ashlyn reassured, smiling at Cedric to show she did not mind. "I'm totally used to being teased and all. No worries," They paused at the foot of the staircase. "This is my way." Ashlyn gestured towards the other staircase to her left.

"This is mine." Cedric pointed at the direction of the Great Hall. An awkward silence fell between them. "I'll see you around then." He nodded for a second and turned to go. Ashlyn smacked her head at her utter stupidity and started up the staircase, berating her own self for being such a horrible conversationalist; failing to wait and see Cedric look over his shoulder back at her.

* * *

Soon, Halloween arrived. The school was looking forward to the feast; rumors flew around saying that Professor Dumbledore had booked a troupe of dancing skeletons for entertainment. Ashlyn was relieved to know that no other rumors of she and Cedric circulated. She and Raine bustled into the Great Hall, admiring the Halloween decorations which were the usual live bats and Hagrid's enormous pumpkins. Taking seats opposite each other, Ashlyn leaned forward to converse with Raine.

Before the two of them could retaliate, George Weasley had swooped down and pressed a quick kiss on Raine's lips. Ashlyn's eyes widened in surprise and she let out a triumphant cry. "I KNEW IT!" Raine was frozen. "Good going, George," Ashlyn and George exchanged high-fives.

"You knew??" Raine asked, her cheeks tuning pink. Patting her shoulder, George sauntered off to the Gryffindor table.

"Rae," Ashlyn huffed, "Honestly, I'm not that blind, okay. I totally saw it coming. What bothers me is that you didn't tell me immediately!" The redhead fumed.

"I-I-I…" Raine was finally at a loss for words. "I wanted to tell you but Diggory kept stealing you away!" Raine immediately defended. Now it was Ashlyn's turn to redden.

"That was ONE time!" Ashlyn cried. "ANYWAY," Ashlyn cut in when she saw Raine's mouth open, "I think it's great you and George are together."

Raine muttered something before smiling smugly at Ashlyn, "I think it's great you and Diggory are so close now."

"Now, you're just changing the subject." Ashlyn shot back in a clipped tone. "I'm sure in due time, Cedric will treat me just like how he treats all his other friends."

"I don't think so. 'Cause if he isn't all that interested in you; then why would he be staring at you for the past few minutes?" Raine asked crisply; catching Ashlyn's look of interest. "Behind you, three places to your…left." Raine prompted. Ashlyn composed herself and glanced to her left at the Hufflepuff table. She met with Cedric's grey eyes almost immediately; he grinned awkwardly and turned back to face his friends.

"Still," Ashlyn shrugged, "Proves nothing." Raine smirked. Ashlyn was spared from any other interrogation as the food appeared on the table. Just like every other Halloween, the food was plentiful and delicious. Conversation filled the large Great Hall; the atmosphere was light and cheery. After eating, the Houses; mainly Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff mixed around. The Weasley twins gained permission to set off a few of their fireworks while Ashlyn and Oliver caught up with Quidditch.

"My dad told me that the Cannons lost to the Holyhead Harpies," Oliver said, his eyes gleaming brightly.

"Ron was devastated when he heard it." Fred interrupted.

"Well, I'm a bit disappointed myself. I mean, the Cannons used to be huge until something happened and now they're in the pits." Ashlyn pointed out. "But Gudgeon [Cannons' Seeker] will always pale in comparison to Griffiths [Harpies' Seeker]." Fred and Oliver agreed, "Talk about a one-trick pony,"

"Houses; please return to your dormitories now." Dumbledore's voice rumbled throughout the Great Hall. Regrouping, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor headed up the staircases towards their Towers. On the second floor somehow, there was a commotion along the corridor. Ashlyn and Raine exchanged looks and stood on their tip-toes to see what was going on.

Ashlyn squinted and saw writing on the wall. She recited it to Raine, "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware." Hisses and whispers broke out through the crowd. Ashlyn managed to catch a few phrases like '_Potter'_, '_Mrs. Norris'_ and _'Mudbloods'_.

"What's going on?" Ashlyn asked aloud.

* * *

By the next day, the news was all over the school. Mrs. Norris was Petrified in a torch bracket and Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were the key witnesses; or more so, suspects. The school was in a flurry; copies of 'Hogwarts, A History' flew off the library shelves and everyone spoke of the Chamber at least once a day. Filch fueled the fire, continuously guarding the spot where Mrs. Norris was found; as if determined to find the culprit.

Ashlyn was not in a very good mood. She burst into the Great Hall for lunch, seething as she threw down her things on the floor. Mumbling furiously and inaudibly, Ashlyn bolted down her lunch; not even looking at Raine. Then she got up and gathered her things in a rage; ranting silently in her mind. Ashlyn sped out of the castle, determined to work out her fury. Soon, she found herself at the Black Lake again. Breathing rather deeply, Ashlyn let the calm wind blow over her; the weight on her shoulders lightened only by a bit. "Feeling better?" A voice asked from behind. Ashlyn whirled around to find Cedric standing there, a hesitant smile on his face.

Turning back to face the water, Ashlyn exhaled heavily, "Yeah I think so." She crossed her arms. "Must have scared all the first years," Ashlyn remarked, a smile tugging at the edge of her lips.

"If looks could kill," Cedric mused. Ashlyn let out a small laugh; although her mind was still raging from the morning's event. "What happened?"

"Filch," Ashlyn grounded out. "I know his cat got Petrified but-" Covering her eyes, Ashlyn groaned aloud; rocking on her heels. "He gave me detention! That old, lousy codger," Ashlyn vented. "He gave me detention for BEING HAPPY!!! Who on EARTH does that???? BEING HAPPY isn't a crime!!" Ashlyn cried in frustration. Flopping down on the grass, Ashlyn plucked a blade of grass and began shredding it. Cedric took a seat next to her; trying hard not to smile. Taking Ashlyn's hand, he pried the grass away from her fingers gently.

"Go and see your Head of House," Cedric persuaded. "Flitwick will understand; it's all just a big misunderstanding. Mrs. Norris did just get Petrified after all."

"The thing is he acted as if I was going something heinous." Ashlyn explained, "I'm sorry his cat got Petrified but I didn't have to get that sort of treatment." Shaking her head; Ashlyn finally said, "Guess I'm overreacting…"

"Everyone overreacts once in a while." Cedric soothed. "Don't take it so hard." At that moment, one of Cedric's friends yelled.

"COME ON, CEDRIC! WE'VE GOT THINGS TO DO! DITCH THE GIRLFRIEND FOR A WHILE!!" Cedric glanced back and held up a finger; one moment. Turning back to Ashlyn, he hesitated. She shook her head and tilted her head towards his friends; indicating for him to go. Slowly, a grin crossed Cedric's face. He pulled Ashlyn to her feet and dragged her towards his friends. When his friends caught sight of them, they began nudging each other and catcalling loudly.

"Guys, this is Ashlyn Spencer," Cedric propelled the mortified Ashlyn forward. "Ash, this is Alexander Campbell," The tall, lanky blonde nodded at her; his eyes sparkling mischievously. "Damon Walker," The dark-haired boy shook her hand, his grip was warm. "And Edward Hall," Another sandy-blonde haired boy shook her hand, pumping it with enthusiasm.

"Nice to meet you," Ashlyn pulled herself together and hoped her palm was not too sweaty. "Cedric, I've got to go; I'll see you around." Giving a quick wave at the three boys, Ashlyn adjusted the strap of her shoulder bag and hurried towards the castle.

"Hey hold it," Cedric's voice stopped Ashlyn on her tracks. "I'll accompany you to wherever you're going." Ashlyn glanced over his shoulder to his friends who placed down their bags to enjoy the sunshine.

"But your friends-" Ashlyn started to say.

"They can wait for a while." Cedric said. "Can't be wandering around the school alone nowadays," Smiling gratefully, Ashlyn continued to walk. "Where are you going anyway?"

"The library," Ashlyn replied, sneaking one look at Cedric. "Tons of homework has piled up because I've had so many Quidditch practices; I've lost count." Cedric laughed, nodding in silent understanding. As they eventually reached the library, Ashlyn paused. "Listen, thanks for walking me here. I appreciate it." Ashlyn said. "You better get going; your friends can't wait forever."

"Just a minute," Cedric muttered, glancing around. As no one else was in the vicinity, he leaned forward and kissed her cheek briefly. "It's my pleasure, Ash." He said as he drew back. A smile tugged at the edges of his mouth as he turned to go. Trembling, Ashlyn placed her fingers lightly on her cheek; and the only thing she could remember was that Cedric had finally used her nickname.

* * *

Ashlyn strode back to the Ravenclaw Tower, in a much better mood than she was than in the morning. She had just clarified the detention matter with Professor Flitwick and she was cleared. But her mind was still in a whirlwind. And whenever her head was in a mess, she needed Raine. Pushing open the door that led to the Ravenclaw common room, Ashlyn headed towards her dormitory which she shared with Raine, Cara and two other girls by the name of Abigail Jones and Megan Williams. As she entered the dormitory, she immediately caught sight of George and Raine on Raine's bed, talking. Feeling relieved, Ashlyn swept inside and placed her hands on her hips.

"What are you doing here??" Ashlyn demanded jokingly.

"Spending time with my girlfriend," George didn't miss a beat. Ashlyn rolled her eyes and flopped onto her own bed.

"What does a kiss on the cheek mean?" Ashlyn asked.

Raine raised her eyebrows. "That depends, really."

"What if it's between a guy and a girl?" Ashlyn ventured tentatively. A short silence hung in the air and both girls looked at George. The Weasley twin happened to let out a lion-sized yawn, oblivious to the curious stares that Ashlyn and Raine were sending him. Only after her rubbed his eyes, then he noticed the shift in atmosphere and attention.

George blinked, "What was the question again?" He asked in confusion.

"What does it mean when a guy kisses a girl on the cheek, George?" Ashlyn inquired once again, amused. George rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"Err, 'I like you'?" George said with embarrassment.

"Why do you ask?" Raine quickly rescued her boyfriend, "Did Cedric-" The two girls glanced briefly at George who was still in the room. Getting the message, George sighed loudly.

"I'm out," George stood up abruptly. "Can't be here while you two discuss Diggory," Shuddering visibly, George kissed Raine quickly on the lips before tossing a wave in their direction and left.

"Yeah he sort of kissed me," Ashlyn admitted, playing with her bedspread. "But only on the cheek; that's why I asked."

Raine smiled, "At least it's something right?" At the same time, Cara entered the dorm. "Hey, Cara, quick question for you;" Raine grinned at Ashlyn. "What does it mean when a guy kisses a girl on the cheek?"

"'I want to be friends'." Cara immediately answered. Ashlyn groaned and fell back onto her bed, covering her eyes with her hands. "Err did I say something wrong?" Cara asked nervously. Ashlyn let out another loud groan and buried herself under her covers.

"Hey, don't be that way," Raine chided, "You heard George." Ashlyn pushed herself to sit up, placidly ignoring what Raine was saying. "Come on, there's still that tiny possibility it's a message that he likes you-"

"As tiny as the possibility I thought I had with Oliver!" Ashlyn snarled. Realizing she was lashing out at her best friend unreasonably, Ashlyn calmed herself down before speaking again, "I can't get my hopes up again after Oliver; I can't." With that, Ashlyn sank back onto her bed. Finally getting up, Ashlyn exited the dorm and out of the Ravenclaw Tower. Wondering faintly of where she ought to go, Ashlyn turned the corner and crashed straight into someone.

"Spencer?" Oliver's voice hovered over her. Ashlyn's vision swam before her; she shook her head to clear her chaotic mind. "Don't move," She heard Oliver order. Blinking blearily, Ashlyn tried to stand but she was unable to as the next thing she knew was that Oliver had swept her off her feet; literally.

"Oliver, let me down!" Ashlyn said feebly, her vision finally coming back to her. "I'm fine; I swear!" Oliver paused momentarily, scrutinizing her closely. "Cross my heart," She sighed. Deciding to believe her, Oliver slowly let her down. Stumbling, Ashlyn soon resumed to normal. "Thanks," She muttered. "Got to go,"

"Wait, what's the hurry?" Oliver took her wrist. "You look…depressed." Ashlyn scoffed silently to herself; as if he would understand. Shrugging, Ashlyn attempted to flee again but Oliver held her steadfast. "Hey, you know you can talk to me. Come on," He led her upstairs to the seventh floor. They walked around the corridor three times, Oliver thinking hard. Soon a door melted into sight. Pushing the door open, Oliver pulled Ashlyn inside. There in the Room of Requirement was a sofa with comfortable furnishings around. The soft pastel colors made Ashlyn relax, only to a small extent.

"Look Oliver, I appreciate the effort; but I'm definitely sure you're NOT the person who can make me feel better." Ashlyn sighed, turning to go.

"Try me," Oliver challenged. Ashlyn closed her eyes grimly and gave up. She took a seat on the sofa and turned to Oliver.

"I hate it," Ashlyn said bluntly. "I hate it that I always jump to conclusions and then I take out my anger on my best friends and then I start doubting myself and by not knowing the real truth, I drive myself mad then it starts out as a cycle AGAIN and I'm all lost then I can't think straight and I start making a fool out of myself which again leads to me doubting my reason being human and I would feel so stupid and so worthless and hopeless that things aren't turning out the way I wish they could-" Ashlyn ranted, forgetting that Oliver was actually in the room as well. It was only when he pulled her close to him then she stopped. "What are you doing?" She sputtered.

"You're babbling, Spence," Oliver said gently. She placed her hand on his chest tentatively, listening to his heartbeat. It pounded steadily in her ear, a tuneless symphony she instantly fell in love with. Exhaling blissfully, Ashlyn relaxed completely. 'So this is what it feels like.' Ashlyn thought to herself. "Feeling better?" Oliver suddenly said, jerking Ashlyn out of her little wonderland. Remembering herself, Ashlyn wriggled out of Oliver's grip.

"You are not good at comforting people." Ashlyn commented, sitting a suitable distance away from Oliver. "But…thanks," She said grudgingly although she wanted nothing more than to hurl herself back into Oliver's arms.

"Anything for a friend," Oliver said cheerfully. Ashlyn smiled weakly; of course, that would never change. Standing, they headed out of the Room and went down to the Great Hall for dinner. "Are you sure you're okay?" Oliver asked again anxiously before they entered the Great Hall.

"I'll live." Ashlyn reassured. "I'm sure deep inside; your hug did wonders for me." They parted and Ashlyn was just starting to think, 'Wow, he did not even mention Quidditch once-'

"Oy, Spence," Oliver called after her. "Good luck for your Quidditch game against Hufflepuff!" Ashlyn smiled to herself secretly before turning back around. Saluting him, she continued her way to take the seat opposite Raine.

At least she could count on Oliver to be the same.

* * *

Soon, it was the start of the Quidditch season of Hogwarts. The first match was Ravenclaw against Hufflepuff and Ashlyn was feeling the pressure. Roger had drilled endless strategies into the team's mind; going as far as to tell Cho to catch the Snitch no matter what it cost. So on the day of the match, it was understandable that Ashlyn could not eat a single bite. Her mind was whirling with Chaser maneuvers and her stomach was churning with nervousness and excitement. Even though Raine endlessly tried to persuade her to eat, Ashlyn remained adamant and refused to even have a drink of juice. It was insane, Ashlyn knew. It was only the start of the Quidditch season and they were acting like it was the end of it. As the Ravenclaw team pulled on their navy blue Quidditch robes, Ashlyn started to be more optimistic. "Remember, Chang," Roger said, "Get that Snitch. Knock Diggory off his broom, I don't care; just get the Snitch before he does."

Cho was pale, "Thanks for the pressure, Roger."

"You can do it," Jeremy soothed. "It's just Roger's way; amazingly, he's quite similar to Wood, isn't he?" The Ravenclaw team laughed, the tension eased.

"And you," Roger rounded on Ashlyn, "Are you and Diggory together?"

"Don't start on me, Davies," Ashlyn growled as she grabbed her broom. The Ravenclaw Beaters, Duncan Inglebee and Jason Samuels, thumped her good-naturedly on the back. Roger gave her a reproving look before they marched out of the changing rooms. Loud applause and cheers greeted them as they were thrown into the sunlight. Kicking off, the Ravenclaw team did warm-up laps around the stadium a few times as a team. The group of canary yellow still huddled together, discussing last minute tactics. Ashlyn pulled her Nimbus Two Thousand to a stop; her broom was the only Nimbus in the team. She, Roger, Jeremy, Duncan and Jason formed a semi-circle whilst Grant Page flew off to the hoops and Cho was above the five of them.

"Good morning Hogwarts!" Lee Jordan's voice boomed out. "Here we witness the official open of the Quidditch season! We kick off with the match between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Let's not forget how Ravenclaw snatched the Quidditch Cup from under the Gryffindors' nose the last time! Will they be able pull it off again? Ravenclaw's new captain Roger Davies puts forward a strong front this year with his star Chaser, Ashlyn Spencer," Loud cheers roared from the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw sectors. "And Jeremy Stretton-"

"Trust Jordan to call you the 'star' Chaser," Jeremy said jokingly.

"But Hufflepuff's got their Seeker to count on-" The Hufflepuffs rose in cheer, "Diggory has not failed to impress during his Quidditch matches and Ravenclaw's Seeker Chang has got to remember that." With that, the Hufflepuff team rose into the air. Ashlyn caught sight of Cedric who mouthed, 'Fifteen goals,' before leveling with Cho. Grinning to herself, Ashlyn reminded herself of the fifteen goals she just had to score past Fleet, the Hufflepuff Keeper.

"Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw have always been in good relations; at least we know this will be a clean game." Lee said. "Here comes Madam Hooch to start the game." Ashlyn watched as the thin woman with grey flyaway hair and sharp golden eyes opened the chest that contained the Quidditch balls. First, she released the Snitch that fluttered away almost immediately. Then a whistle sounded; the Quaffle was in the air. Launching herself forward, Ashlyn immediately grabbed hold of the Quaffle.

"Spencer's got the Quaffle! She dodges Preece – past Macavoy – dodges the Bludger nicely – she shoots and SHE SCORES!! Ravenclaw lead by ten points!" Feeling the familiar swooping feeling in her stomach, Ashlyn immediately swerves around to defend Preece from getting the Quaffle. "Wright – Macavoy – back to Wright – Ooo bludger from Samuels makes Wright drop the Quaffle! Quaffle is back in Spencer's possession. Spencer – Davies – Stretton – back to Spencer – Davies – Spencer DUCK! Fleet braces himself – she beats the Keeper, SHE SCORES AGAIN! Spencer brings the score to twenty-zero!"

Ashlyn felt a Bludger whistle past her; her heart went icy. Looping back, Ashlyn felt another Bludger miss her by inches. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Ashlyn kept her head low and sped towards Wright. "Ravenclaw leads twenty to zero and Hufflepuff is keeping on Spencer's tail." Gritting her teeth, Ashlyn had to swerve sharply to avoid the Bludger the Hufflepuff Beater, Rickett, smashed in her direction.

Soon, the score was seventy to twenty, Ravenclaw lead; Ashlyn had scored five of the seven goals. 'Ten more,' Ashlyn reminded herself silently. But what slowed her down was the Bludgers that the Hufflepuff Beaters were aiming at her. "ROGER, TIME-OUT!" Ashlyn shrieked just as she managed to steer clear of a Bludger by only a few inches. She had lost count of how many close shaves she has had for the past half-an-hour. A whistle sounded and the Ravenclaw team immediately grouped together.

"They're not leaving her alone," Roger muttered furiously.

"One of the many perks of being the 'star' Chaser," Jeremy joked, nudging Ashlyn's ribs.

"Shut up!" Ashlyn groaned. "Look, they're not going to give up until they manage to knock me out- God Roger don't give me that look!" Ashlyn exclaimed as Roger looked aghast at the idea of his best Chaser being sidelined. "Since they're concentrating on me so much, I'll deal with them."

"Inglebee, Samuels, where the hell have you two been when Spencer was being assaulted by Bludgers?" Roger demanded.

"If we accompany Ashlyn, she wouldn't be able to see a thing except us swinging our bats!" Duncan defended. Roger cursed.

"Look, since their Beaters are concentrating on Spencer, we-" Roger gestured towards himself and Jeremy, "have to score from now on. Think you can manage the Bludgers on your own?" Roger asked anxiously to Ashlyn.

"What are we?" Jason demanded, "Chopped liver? We're not Beaters for nothing, Roger."

Roger nodded grimly. "Alright, Spencer you're on your own. Chang, how is it going on the Snitch?"

"Still searching," Cho reported. Ashlyn patted her shoulder and they mounted their brooms again. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the match continued.

"As we can see," Lee was saying, "Hufflepuff seems dead set on taking out Chaser Spencer who has scored five out of the seven goals so far. Davies with the Quaffle – dodges Wright – Stretton now with the Quaffle – back to Davies – he gets past the Keeper – RAVENCLAW LEAD EIGHTY TO TWENTY!" Ashlyn gritted her teeth as a Bludger zoomed past her, missing her head by a couple of centimeters. Behind her, she heard Duncan swear and beat the Bludger at Wright. "Bludger sent by Inglebee at Wright – Wright dodges – passes the Quaffle to Preece – To Macavoy – Interception by Spencer! She dodges Rickett – Ooo Bludger misses her – she shoots and SCORE!"

Ashlyn mentally wiped the sweat off her forehead as Ravenclaw began to chant their House name. Suddenly, she noticed there was a commotion. Lee was excitedly saying, "Chang and Diggory have spotted the Snitch!" Ashlyn paused momentarily to watch as Cho and Cedric was speeding towards her.

At that precise moment, a Bludger sent courtesy of the other Hufflepuff Beater O' Flaherty slammed straight into Ashlyn's gut. She let out a strangled scream which made Cedric glance back at her wildly. Due to his sudden distraction, Cho pulled ahead of Cedric and snatched the Snitch in time. "CHANG'S GOT THE SNITCH! RAVENCLAW WINS – TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY TO TWENTY!" Ravenclaw rose into cheer, screaming and stamping in triumph. Ashlyn was only winded by the Bludger and hoped nothing was broken. Cedric was fast by her side.

"Are you alright?" He asked anxiously. Ashlyn managed to get her breath back in time to reply.

"I'm fine, nothing's broken!" She reassured cheerfully. Cedric relaxed only by a bit. "Ah, guess I owe you a treat." Ashlyn said lightly, "Seeing that I didn't manage to score fifteen goals." Cedric laughed. "I would have though, if your Beaters weren't trying to unseat me every time I try to score."

Cedric looked mildly embarrassed. "Yeah sorry about that; Wright had the idea of taking out the best-"

"I'm fine, Cedric." Ashlyn said gently, "I totally get Wright's strategy. It nearly worked." They glanced at each other and laughed. "And thanks for checking on me." Ashlyn quickly said, "You would probably get in a bit of trouble for it." Cedric shrugged.

"As long as you're not hurt," Cedric said; his tone serious. A dreadful blush rose to Ashlyn's face; like someone had held a candle to her cheeks.

"OY, SPENCER, GET THE HELL DOWN HERE!" Roger's voice boomed from below. Ashlyn tore her eyes away from Cedric to her team who were all jumping up and down, hugging Cho. Shooting a brief smile at Cedric, Ashlyn slowly descended and threw her arms around Cho.

"Thanks," Cho grinned broadly as they pulled apart.

Ashlyn looked at her, clouded with confusion, "For what?"

Cho grinned, "For screaming at that last moment; without it, I don't think I could have gotten the Snitch." Ashlyn rolled her eyes and jokingly whacked the back of Cho's head. "I'm serious! But it was rather nice of him, don't you think?" Cho pressed, matching Ashlyn's long strides, "I personally thought it was cute that he turned his head to see how you were doing."

"I took a Bludger in the gut!" Ashlyn exclaimed in mock-outrage. "It was no picnic." The Ravenclaw team trooped into the changing rooms and changed out of their Quidditch robes, excited about the celebration party that was sure to be going on in the common as they spoke. Spirits remained high as they strode back to the Ravenclaw Tower, talking and recounting their Quidditch plays that day. Along the way, they bumped into the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

Fred and George seized Ashlyn and thumped her on the back. Then they slapped high-fives with Jason and Duncan. Angelina hugged Ashlyn and congratulated them on their win. Out of the corner of her eye, Ashlyn saw Oliver and Roger exchange handshakes. Then at that moment, Oliver's eyes met with hers and Ashlyn felt a shot of something white-hot; as if Oliver had just seen through her. Biting her lip, Ashlyn quickly turned away to listen to what Angelina was saying. "…So it's true then?" Angelina was saying.

"What's true?" Ashlyn asked distractedly.

Angelina rolled her eyes expressively, "You know; you and Diggory! It's all over the school; how he lost the Snitch just so he could check up on you." Ashlyn scoffed quickly, still feeling Oliver's gaze on her.

"You can't be sure of anything." Ashlyn pointed out. "Anyway, we should get going." Shooting a look at Roger, Ashlyn slowly stepped back away from Angelina. The Ravenclaw team got her message and backed away, bidding the Gryffindor team goodnight. But Oliver had stepped forward.

"Spencer, I need a word." Oliver said. Jeremy poked her sharply in the back, pushing her forward. Her team then left; the Gryffindor team left the other direction. "Listen; that was really good flying just now," Oliver said. Ashlyn could detect how uncomfortable he really was.

"Err thanks," Ashlyn said curiously. He could have said it to her when everyone else was around. Why did he say it when they were alone? He could have spared himself the general awkwardness of the situation. "What's up?"

"Uh, just wanted to see if you were okay; having taken a Bludger in the gut." Oliver quickly said.

"I'll live," Ashlyn was still curious at Oliver's odd behavior.

Oliver's expression paled, "That's exactly what you told me when you were depressed that day." Ashlyn's eyebrows disappeared underneath her bangs. Oliver was actually paying attention to what she was saying that day.

"No sweat, Oliver," Ashlyn reassured, "I mean; you've gotten worse than one Bludger in the gut." Oliver's face relaxed.

"That's different," He argued. "I'm a guy; we have to endure the pain."

Ashlyn laughed. "Okay Oliver, what's going on? You can't call me out of my team just so you could check up on me. Spill," Now, Oliver looked truly uncomfortable.

"I just wanted to…There are a few words around the castle…" Oliver stumbled hesitantly; he was watching Ashlyn closely for a reaction. "Not that I believe them…but just to be sure," He glanced anxiously at her, "There's nothing between you and Diggory, right?"

"Uh," Ashlyn felt her heart lift. Was Oliver interested? Was that why he was asking? "N-no," Ashlyn eventually said. Oliver relaxed fully, his expression elated. "W-why do you ask?" Ashlyn could not stop herself from asking. Her heart went all a-flutter, bracing herself for the words she so longed to hear.

Oliver grinned knowingly at her, "Oh nothing," He said cheerfully. Ruffling her hair, he said, "Great flying today, Spence," With that, he left; leaving an ashen-faced Ashlyn behind. Unclenching her fists, Ashlyn whirled around and made her way up to the Ravenclaw Tower; berating herself for being so foolish. 'Don't be such a miserable loser.' She scolded herself. 'Oliver Wood will never like you like that EVER. So drill it into your thick head and make it stay there.' Ashlyn threw open the Ravenclaw door and was dragged into the common room by many hands.

"You were amazing!" Penelope Clearwater cried.

"You even made Diggory stop in his tracks!" Fresh cheers met this comment. "ASHLYN, ASHLYN, ASHLYN!" They chanted. Smiling weakly, Ashlyn excused herself quickly and stepped into her dormitory to retreat onto her bed to dream of Quidditch, Bludgers and strangely, gleaming grey eyes belonging to a Hufflepuff Seeker.

* * *

Okay I hope you guys like it! Especially the Quidditch match; credit goes to Harry Potter Wiki for the information.

And on another note: I'm sorry I had to make the George/Raine thing so brief. My mind went crazy trying to balance George/Raine and Cedric/Ashlyn. But I will definitely still add some George/Raine moments. Please review and let me know what you think!

Just a sneak-peek at the next chapter:

_"What are we, Cedric?" Ashlyn asked point-blank. Cedric blinked in confusion._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"I mean; you're nice to me, you checked up on me and lost the Snitch, and you-" Ashlyn said in tired frustration. "What am I to you? A friend? A sister you never had?" Biting her lip, Ashlyn continued, "I'm sorry I'm so blunt but I can't stand not knowing."_

_Cedric smiled secretly, "Let's put it this way..." He leaned closer to Ashlyn. She could feel his hot breath on her ear. "I am very interested in you, Miss. Spencer..."_

Okay it might not come out exactly this way, after editing and all. But it will happen. So REVIEW and the next chapter will come out faster than you think.


	4. Chapter 4: Hypothetically

My story has been getting more and more hits everyday and I'm definitely grateful for that. But reviews are still occasional. So please do review as it means the world to me. This chapter is shorter compared to the first three chapters as I want to stretch the story out longer. Secondly, I also realized, why write such a long chapter and get so few reviews for it? However I still remain grateful to **rukia23**, **williammoseleysgirl**, **Kenya**, **undermyumbrella**, **starletspotlight** and **Toolazytologin**. It is because of people like you I know I have to update as soon as possible. This chapter I have started to put in more Oliver insight so that you guys can see what really goes on in his head.

So I hope you like it and review.

* * *

Ashlyn had her head bent over her parchment, frowning slightly as she tried to concentrate on her Potions homework. It was a sunny afternoon in Hogwarts; study period. Ashlyn was thinking of the Gryffindor – Slytherin match that was to take place soon. To be precise, she was thinking of the Gryffindor Keeper who was playing in the Gryffindor – Slytherin match. Ashlyn thought back on the night of the Ravenclaw – Hufflepuff match; she just could not keep it out of her thoughts. Realizing she just blotted her homework, Ashlyn groaned softly in frustration. "Hey," Ashlyn glanced up to meet Cedric's grey eyes. He smiled at her, gesturing to the seat across her. "Mind if I sit here?" He whispered, oblivious to the stern look Professor McGonagall shot at their direction.

"Go ahead," Ashlyn said, grateful for the company. Raine and George had become basically inseparable and Ashlyn was left alone on several occasions. She did not mind; Raine was happy and that was all that mattered. "Did you get trouble for you know…checking up on me during the match?" Ashlyn asked uncomfortably.

"A bit of heat, but that's all," Cedric said lightly. Taking her essay, Cedric drew out his wand and muttered, "_Tergeo_," The ink blots on the parchment were slowly cleaned off. "Here," He slipped the essay back to Ashlyn.

"Thanks," Ashlyn said quietly. Unable to take it any longer, she put down her quill. "Can we get out of here?" Cedric looked at her in confusion, but hoisted his bag onto his shoulder. Ashlyn gathered her things as well and they left the Great Hall together.

'Are you crazy?' Her mind yelled at her. 'What are you going to say???' **I don't know!** Ashlyn thought in panic. 'Oh nice, drag him out of the Great Hall and then realize you don't know what to say? Nice move,' her mind jeered at her. **Don't blame me!** Ashlyn thought angrily, **I've got to know!** 'Know what exactly?? You're going to sound like a complete nut-job!' **Shut UP!** Ashlyn mentally yelled at herself**. I am already a nut-case for listening to a VOICE in my HEAD!** 'Fine, make a fool out of yourself; I don't care anymore.' The voice sneered. Ashlyn nearly tore her hair out of her head until Cedric grabbed her arm. Jerking out of her stupor, Ashlyn found a pillar right in her face that she could have smashed into if it was not for Cedric's quick timing.

"Hey, hey," He said gently, pulling her towards him. "You nearly hurt yourself there," Mortified, Ashlyn quickly slid out of Cedric's grip; flushing deeply in embarrassment. "What's wrong?" He stared at her with those grey eyes she dreamt about the night before.

"N-nothing," Ashlyn quickly stammered. She resumed walking towards the Entrance Hall, down the front steps; and before she knew it, they were both in front of the calm Black Lake. 'Why are we here again?' The voice spoke up in quiet wonderment. **It's the only place I can think clearly.**

"Funny that we always end up here," Cedric commented casually, as if reading her thoughts. "Here makes you think better, more clearly, right?" Ashlyn could only nod. "Yeah, same goes for me." Cedric agreed as he took a seat on the grass. "So I guess I know where I can find you if I ever need to-" Ashlyn could barely bear it any longer.

"Cedric," She blurted out. "What are we?" She asked point-blank, refusing to sit down; to avoid eye-contact. Cedric blinked in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean; you're nice to me, you lost the Snitch to check on me, and you are probably getting trouble for doing so," Ashlyn pointed out in tired frustration. "What am I to you? A friend or a sister you never had?" Biting her lip, Ashlyn continued, "I'm sorry I'm so blunt, but I can't stand not knowing anymore." There was a short silence before Cedric took her wrist and pulled her down on top of him. Ashlyn sucked in her breath as she found herself nose-to-nose with Cedric. His eyes seemed brighter than usual; bright with quiet amusement and something she was not sure of.

"Can't you tell?" Cedric breathed. Ashlyn shook her head stupidly, her head in a swirling mess. "Then let me put it this way," He tucked a lock of her red head behind her ear. She could feel his hot breath on her cheek, "I am _very_ interested in you, Miss Spencer…" His lips curved into a smirk. Then, he lifted his chin and pressed his lips to hers.

Ashlyn felt a swooping effect in her stomach as the kiss deepened. She sank into her own sweet dreamland; oblivious to her surroundings. Ashlyn shoved all that was clouding her head aside and concentrated on Cedric. After some time, he pulled away; another smile lifting the corners of his mouth. "Did you get that?" Cedric quietly teased. Ashlyn quickly slid off his lap to the spot next to him, afraid she was going to fall over. Swallowing in anticipation, Ashlyn leaned closer to him.

"No, not really," She breathed. "You could try again," Cedric let out a small laugh before he leaned in again.

* * *

So that was it; Ashlyn and Cedric was an official couple. Ashlyn was blissful and in much better moods. Cedric was the loveliest person besides all her friends; he was a gentleman and most of all, he loved her as his other half. During the day, they would write notes to each other; study and do homework in the library or meet at the Black Lake to talk. Cedric was understanding, attentive and armed with a good sense of humor which Ashlyn adored. He could sooth her anger, ride out her frustration and best of all, make her feel better in the end. Ashlyn herself; was amazed that she could be so in love with someone. But the thing was: no one else in Hogwarts knew about them.

She found it strange, but chose not to question it. Cedric wanted it; he wanted the relationship to stay secret. 'For now,' her mind reminded her. Still, she found herself wondering why they could not show everyone else the special bond they had. Ashlyn thought back on the day she and Cedric kissed for the first time:

_Cedric was holding her hand; they were lying on the grass at the Black Lake. "Listen," He suddenly spoke up, "Can we just keep this," He gestured to themselves with his other hand. "Between us; for now…?" Cedric glanced at her._

"…_Why?" She could not help but ask._

"_Because I want to keep you to myself for a while," Cedric replied; a genuine smile spreading across his face. Letting the charm of his words wash all over her, Ashlyn could not help but nod and agree. Cedric then sat up to kiss her forehead; making all the feelings bothering her fly away. _

Ashlyn sighed; slumped on her desk during the History of Magic. She doodled idly on her parchment. Hearts, rainbows and suns; she was eating herself inside out with frustration. After that day, whenever she and Cedric saw each other along the corridor with friends; they would exchange polite conversation before parting ways. No kiss on the cheek, no holding hands, no sign of intimacy whenever they were surrounded with people. She found it strange, suspicious maybe. But something held her back from confronting Cedric; herself. It had seemed such a wonderful dream, one she never wanted to wake up from; yet, she still wanted to find out the real reason why Cedric did not want the school to know about them. Deciding on her course of action, Ashlyn scribbled on a piece of parchment: _I need your help. _Ensuring Binns was not looking, Ashlyn passed the parchment to Raine next to her.

Raine blinked in curiosity before writing: _**What's up?**_

_Why didn't you tell me about you and George before?_

_**Okay, that was REALLY random. Why do you ask?**_

_I am just curious. I mean, why did you want to keep it as secret?_

_**I was not going to keep it as a TOTAL secret. I was going to tell you.**_

_When?_

_**Well…okay, so I didn't tell you immediately. What's wrong with that?**_

_Why? Why is it such a huge thing?_

_**Ash, George and I started out as friends. If it didn't work out, can you imagine what will happen if all our friends start taking sides? We – okay, maybe only me, wanted to keep it quiet; see how it goes before confirming it.**_

_Oh. _

_**Why do you ask? Are you and Diggory together?**_

_No. But just a hypothetical question: what if George wanted to keep the relationship quiet? Say you two never started out as friends; and he expresses interest in you. But he said he wants to keep it quiet for a while. How would you feel?_

_**Well firstly, I would be a bit suspicious. I mean, why initiate a relationship and then keep it quiet? It will be a bit suspicious to me; could be that he has someone else. But we're talking hypothetically, right?**_

Ashlyn deflated as she read Raine's answer. She trusted Raine with all her life and what Raine said seemed to match Ashlyn's insecurities. Crumpling the parchment, Ashlyn wondered what she going to say when she met Cedric. Ignoring Raine's inquisitive looks, Ashlyn sank back into her bored stupor; her stomach churning sickeningly of the possibility Cedric was not as perfect as he seemed to be. Burying her head into her arms, Ashlyn let out a soft groan.

* * *

It was lunchtime and before Ashlyn could search for Cedric, she found herself being dragged by the Weasley twins to the courtyard outside. Finally deciding to ditch her original plans, Ashlyn found herself heading towards the Gryffindor Quidditch team, minus Harry, who were sitting in a group. Oliver had his arms crossed, a serious expression on his face. Angelina, Alicia and Katie seemed to be reassuring him constantly. As Ashlyn and the Weasley twins came into view, the three Chasers brightened. "You're here," Angelina said in relief. "He's not listening to us." The twins pushed Ashlyn forward.

Throwing them a 'what-the-heck-can-I-do' look, Ashlyn sighed and took a seat next to Oliver. His furrowed eyebrows never even relax one bit even when she sat down; he seemed to be thinking hard. "Oliver," Ashlyn said gently. He remained silent. "Oliver." Ashlyn said in a louder voice. "You're going to fine for your match, alright?" He still refused to listen. Knowing he would not give up so easily, Ashlyn pressed on, "You have a great team who will never let you down. You know that,"

"Yeah Oliver," Angelina soothed, "We'll beat Slytherin. We've practiced so many times-"

"In all types of weather-" Fred interrupted.

"Rain or shine," George finished.

"We want this as much as you do, Oliver," Alicia piped up.

"We have to win," Oliver finally spoke, worry evident in his voice. "I want to see that look on Flint's face when we do." Ashlyn glanced around the courtyard, hoping to catch a glimpse of Cedric. "Alright, let's go get changed." The Gryffindor Quidditch team rose with a small cheer and headed towards the changing rooms as the school started to make their way to the Quidditch pitch. Oliver hung back, noticing Ashlyn hesitance. "Looking for someone?" He asked curiously.

"Oh I'm looking for Raine," Ashlyn lied quickly. "Good luck." She hugged Oliver briefly before joining her House to get to the pitch. A hand clamped down on Ashlyn's wrist; belonging to Raine herself. "Oh there you are," Ashlyn sighed in relief.

"What was that during the History of Magic?" Raine demanded as they hurried along. "What was the hypothetical question addressing?" Ashlyn quickly dismissed it with a vague wave of her hand as they went up to the seats. Getting a front row seat, Ashlyn let the wind run through her hair; making her relax a great deal, it was like she was back playing Quidditch.

"Welcome to the Gryffindor – Slytherin match of the season! Last week we remember the exciting Ravenclaw – Hufflepuff match where Ravenclaw took the win; making Ravenclaw the front runner for the time being." Lee Jordan's boomed in the stadium. "But today, let's welcome the Gryffindor team! Captain Wood – Johnson – Spinnet – Bell – Weasley – Weasley and finally, Potter!" Loud cheers erupted from the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff sectors; matched by loud boos and jeers from the Slytherins.

"And the lousy- Sorry Professor," Lee apologized to Professor McGonagall. "Slytherin team led by Flint – Pucey – Montague – Derrick – Bole – Bletchley and Malfoy, Slytherin's new Seeker," Loud rowdy cheers rose at the Slytherin sector. "Seems Flint is rather going for size rather than skill-" Even louder boos greeted Lee's statement. "Both teams take their positions as Madam Hooch enters the stadium…"

Oliver flies off to the three golden hoops at one end. His mind was barely on the Quidditch match at hand, surprisingly. He was frustrated at his lack of concentration; after all, he was Oliver Wood. Quidditch was supposed to be so important to him that nothing else should matter. But now, he could not help but think of Ashlyn and the Ravenclaw – Hufflepuff match last week. Something stirred deep down inside of him when he saw her get hit by a Bludger; and something else even more foreign roared inside when Diggory flew straight to her. He could not place a finger on it. 'It can't be jealousy,' Oliver had reasoned with himself. After all, Ashlyn was just a friend to him; nothing more than that.

Still, he had his doubts.

A whistle jerked Oliver out of his thoughts. He watched as the Quaffle was thrown into the air. Gripping his broom more tightly, he saw his Chasers scatter; the Quaffle in Katie's possession. Fleetingly, for a moment, he thought he spotted Ashlyn in the fray; her hair windblown, her green eyes flashing determinedly, her lips curving into a smile as she scored…Oliver mentally smacked himself and saw that the Quaffle was taken from Katie, now in Flint's possession. Oliver cursed mentally and braced himself. Flint hurled the Quaffle; at the same time, Oliver thought of how Ashlyn's green eyes seemed to be a better shade of green compared to Flint's green robes. Oliver missed the Quaffle and Slytherin scored ten points.

Flint sneered triumphantly at Oliver before returning to the game. Biting his lip, Oliver struggled to get over himself, fuming.

Ashlyn's face fell as Flint scored. Something was wrong today; it was a fairly easy shot that Oliver missed, he was just a several seconds late. Borrowing one of her Housemate's binoculars, Ashlyn pressed her eyes to it and aimed it at Oliver. He had a peculiar look on his face, like he was thinking of something else other than the match. Wishing she could go up to him and give him a good whack on the head, Ashlyn forced herself to watch the action at her end. She winced as Angelina was fouled by Flint and Montague. However, something else caught her eye. Fred and George kept hovering over Harry, whacking a Bludger that kept doubling back to unseat Harry.

Alicia took the shot and failed to score against Bletchley. Groans sounded from the Gryffindor area. "What's happening to the Gryffindor team?" Raine said in disbelief.

"Beats me," Ashlyn replied shortly. She crossed her fingers as Pucey got past Oliver to score another ten points. Ashlyn wondered what had come over Oliver, letting in the goals. The score quickly rose to sixty – zero, Slytherin in the lead. Ashlyn and Raine were clutching each other, terrified as they watched the rogue Bludger attempt to take Harry's head off. They breathed again when Oliver called for a time-out. "About time," Ashlyn muttered as the Gryffindor team huddled together. The Slytherins jeered even louder.

"Anyway," Raine said casually, "What's going on between you and Diggory?" Ashlyn shrugged, ensuring she was completely emotionless. "Come on, Ash," Raine coaxed. "There really isn't anything?" Ashlyn nodded quickly and lifted the binoculars, searching the crowds of Hufflepuffs. She found Cedric, talking to a very pretty Hufflepuff who was definitely, judging by her body language, flirting with Cedric.

Putting the binoculars down quickly, Ashlyn blinked so that the sector of Hufflepuffs was just a square of squiggling black dots. She knew it was too much of a cliché, so typical. Focusing on the Quidditch match, Ashlyn watched as the Gryffindors flew back to their positions. She did not need Raine hissing in her ear, "Why is Harry alone? Where are Fred and George??"

"Elsewhere; Harry wants to be left alone." Ashlyn concluded shrewdly as they watched Harry swoop, swerve and zigzag all over the pitch.

"He's mad," Raine cried, "The Bludger is going to kill him!" Just then, the mad Bludger collided hard with Harry's right arm. Raine screamed and Ashlyn flinched, biting down hard on her lip. "Oh god," Raine moaned as Harry started to zoom towards Malfoy. "What is he DOING???"

"Harry's spotted the Snitch!!" Ashlyn danced on her seat, craning her neck to see Harry dive towards the ground.

Lee confirmed the news, "POTTER'S GOT THE SNITCH!!! GRYFFINDOR WIN: A HUNDRED AND FIFTY TO SIXTY!!!!" Roars of celebration echoed around the stadium as all the Gryffindor supporters rose to cheer on the Gryffindors. Ashlyn hugged Raine in relief and the both of them hurried down. They pushed open the Gryffindor changing room, only to be greeted by cheers of triumph. Fred and George dragged her and Raine into a group hug. Ashlyn pulled away, coming face-to-face with a muddy Oliver who was grinning from ear to ear. He whooped and engulfed her in a huge hug.

Ashlyn laughed giddily, "You're all muddy! Get off!"

"No way, Ash," Oliver shot back, swinging her around before setting her down. Then his face scrunched in concern, "Your lip is bleeding." His thumb swiped over the small wound gently, making her heart skip several beats. "Are you alright?" He asked in concern.

Ashlyn bared her teeth in a smile, "I'm perfectly fine."

* * *

Ashlyn wandered towards the Black Lake; normally she would only go there to meet Cedric during lunchtimes. But today, she wanted to be alone and think. Pulling her knees to her chest, Ashlyn found a stalk of dandelion next to her. Plucking it, Ashlyn closed her eyes and made a silent wish before blowing the dandelion softly; watching as the fluff was carried away by the wind. "You believe in those?" A voice came from behind her. Ashlyn smiled; her wish came true, well part of it.

She glanced behind to see Cedric making his way closer to her. He took a seat next to her and he eyed the bare stalk that her fingers held. Ashlyn let the stalk go and wrapped her arms around her knees. "I guess I do, since my wish came true." The smile on Cedric's face broadened as he leaned forward for their customary greeting kiss. But this time, Ashlyn leaned back slightly; preventing Cedric's lips from pressing down on hers. He paused momentarily in confusion. "So who is she?" Ashlyn tried to sound casual.

Cedric withdrew, his confused expression deepened, "She?" He raised an eyebrow.

"She," Ashlyn said calmly, "Blonde…during the match just now…" A realization dawned on Cedric; she saw it on his face. "So who is she?"

Cedric understood, "I would never do that to you."

"I wouldn't know," Ashlyn shrugged. "I mean, nobody doesn't know about us; it makes sense for other girls to approach you." She tried to make herself found as nonchalant as possible so that it did not sound like an outright accusation or an insult to his honor.

Cedric was quiet. "You doubt me?" His question was unfathomable. Fearing the worst, Ashlyn reddened and searched her mind for a suitable reply.

"What I meant to say-" She was starting to say, but Cedric placed a finger on her lips gently. She immediately fell silent.

"One day," Cedric said softly as he let his finger fall, "One day, I'll prove it to you. Just," He paused for a while, searching for the right words, "Let it be only us; alright?" His grey eyes met with her green ones, "For now?"

Ashlyn closed her eyes and gave in to those two words she knew so well, "Sure," She said dully. As Cedric drew her into his arms, Ashlyn could not help but feel the familiar twinge of suspicion as she breathed in the scent of Cedric's robes.

* * *

And that's that. Please review!

And alright; just a tiny sneak-peek at the next chapter:

_Taking her wrist, Cedric led her back into the corridor. Before he could slide his arm around her waist, Oliver came from around the corner. He looked taken aback at their appearance. _

_"What are you doing here?" Ashlyn cried; her face flushing._

_Oliver smiled awkwardly and cleared his throat, "I was going to see if the Dueling Club meeting was worth going. Since the two of you are here, I guess it isn't." Nodding curtly at Cedric, Oliver turned on his heel and left._

You know what to do.

Review, I mean.


	5. Chapter 5: Don't Speak

I definitely noticed that there was a significant increase in reviews- I got 8 reviews for the previous chapter. That makes me feel really happy and grateful to my reviewers. Namely, reviewers are **rukia23**, **williammoseleysgirl**, **undermyumbrella**, **Toolazytologin**, **Kenya**, **StarletSpotlight**, **Cetacean** and **AwkwardTurtle127**. Thank you guys so much, I hope you will like this chapter. I have written more on Oliver since it has been requested.

And two of you mentioned something that you need clearing up. You guys were confused on whether Ashlyn was on the team. She is in the Ravenclaw team but during the Gryffindor - Slytherin match, Oliver thought he saw her; in other words, he was thinking of her. She is in Ravenclaw, not Gryffindor or Slytherin. So I hope I cleared that up.

Okay hope you like this chapter!

* * *

The second attack on Colin Creevey set the school on edge. Ashlyn had noticed how disturbed Ginny and the other first years were. "Don't worry too much about it," Ashlyn reassured Ginny, "They'll get the culprit soon enough." Still, Ginny remained pale and worried. Fred and George chose that particular moment to spring out at their sister wearing fur. Ginny shrieked and grabbed Ashlyn's arm in reflex. Although the sudden ambush made Ashlyn's heart leap, she was not amused.

"Come on, you guys," Ashlyn sighed irritably, "You're not funny." Gently untangling Ginny's hands from her arm, Ashlyn placed a hand on Ginny's shoulder. "Ignore them, Ginny," Ashlyn steered her away as Fred and George followed, guffawing at Ginny's reaction. As they entered the Entrance Hall, they caught sight of a group of people crowding the notice board. Ashlyn glanced at Fred straight in the eye, "Hey Fred, go and see what's going on," She commanded, "Go forth, my minion." Ashlyn's words made Ginny giggle weakly. But before Fred could do so, Lee Jordan ran up to meet them.

"There's going to be a Dueling Club," Lee reported breathlessly, "First meeting is tonight in the Great Hall,"

"Who's in charge?" Ashlyn asked. Lee shrugged. Turning to the Weasley twins, Ashlyn said, "No harm in attending, right?" So that night, Ashlyn, Fred, George and Lee trooped into the Great Hall for the meeting. Raine decided to skip it, telling Ashlyn to update her. But as soon as Ashlyn saw who was teaching, she wanted to make a break for it.

Gilderoy Lockhart (She still refused to call him a professor) was obnoxiously addressing the crowd; while Professor Snape was standing by with a sneer on his face. "Oh joy," Ashlyn muttered. Deciding it was time to make a prudent exit, Ashlyn turned to go. However, the twins took hold of her and spun her back around to watch Lockhart and Snape.

"Come on, Ash," Fred said cheerfully, "You might learn something useful."

Glowering at them, Ashlyn crossed her arms to watch Snape throw Lockhart off with a Disarming Charm. Ashlyn could not help but feel a stab of satisfaction as she watched Lockhart struggle, "The fool hardly knows what he's doing." Ashlyn scorned as Lockhart recovered.

"If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy. However, I felt it would be instructive to let them see…" Lockhart said loudly.

"I'll bet," Ashlyn rolled her eyes.

"Alright, time to get into pairs!" Lockhart shouted over the crowd. Ashlyn glanced around and saw Cedric heading towards her.

"Shall we?" He asked; a crooked smile on his face.

"We shall," Ashlyn nodded in agreement. They moved to a more secluded corner, near the doors.

"So where's Wood?" Cedric asked.

Ashlyn shrugged, "Probably devising new Quidditch strategies. He'd be the only one who would be mad if he was Petrified. Missing Quidditch matches and all…" Cedric laughed.

"Face your partners!" Lockhart called from up on the platform. "And bow!" Cedric exaggerated his bow, sinking past waist level. Ashlyn giggled and curtseyed; as if they were going to start dancing instead of duel. "Have your wands at the ready!" Lockhart shouted. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent- only to disarm them- we don't want any accidents…" Ashlyn jutted her lower lip out at Cedric, silently pleading for him not to disarm her. It seemed to have worked; for Ashlyn saw his hold on his wand slacken.

"EXPELLIARMUS" Ashlyn yelled just as Lockhart reached 'three'. Cedric's wand flew out of his hand and into her left. Grinning triumphantly, Ashlyn tucked Cedric's wand into her robes. He laughed and approached her slowly.

"You cheated," He accused, his hand outstretched for his wand.

Ashlyn forced herself to look innocent. "What do you mean? I did nothing of that sort."

"Wand," He pressed, his grey eyes barely moving away from hers even though there was a commotion at the other end of the Great Hall.

"You'll have to ask nicely," Ashlyn deadpanned, smiling smugly up at Cedric. Finally, he tore his eyes and looked around for witnesses. Deflating, Ashlyn took a few steps away; putting some distance between them. She slid out of the Great Hall and started down the corridor. Cedric was behind her in a matter of seconds.

"Hey, hey," He took her arm, understanding her behavior. "It wasn't because-"

"It was, Cedric," Ashlyn cut in, "I get it, it's not the right time for them to know about us." Her words held a tone of quiet resignation, accusation and scorn. Cedric turned grim. He knew how she felt. Still, he could not let them be public; not yet.

"I'm sorry," He said quietly, "I have my reasons; I need more time." 'More time and you start to lose her instead.' Cedric reminded himself. Ashlyn smiled grudgingly before nodding. Although the corridor was empty, they hid in one dark corner. He pressed a kiss on her lips and at the same time, slipped his hand into her robes. Being extremely ticklish, Ashlyn attempted to wriggle away; breaking their kiss to giggle. He smirked and held her fast; retrieving his wand in the process.

"You cheated," She whispered, mimicking his words at the Hall.

"What do you mean? I did nothing of that sort." He returned the favor, repeating her words back at her. Ashlyn let out a laugh and was effectively silenced with another kiss. She slowly sank into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck; deepening the kiss. Cedric's left hand rested lightly on her waist, making the warm weight on her skin tingle. His fingers ran through her hair lightly, cupping the back of her head to press her lips harder to his.

As they pulled away from each other, Ashlyn stumbled slightly due to her lightheadedness. Cedric grinned crookedly and slowly let her down. "Want to go down to the kitchens?" He asked, his hand lingering on her waist; his forehead pressed against hers. She nodded, too overwhelmed to speak at the moment. Taking her wrist, Cedric led her back into the corridor. Before he could slide his arm around her waist, Oliver came from around the corner. He looked taken aback at their appearance.

"What are you doing here??" Ashlyn cried; her face flushing.

Oliver smiled awkwardly and cleared his throat, "I was going to see if the Dueling Club meeting was worth going. Since the two of you are here, I guess it isn't." Nodding curtly at Cedric, Oliver turned on his heel and left. Ashlyn was speechless as well as Cedric was bewildered.

"Wonder what that was about," Cedric commented thoughtfully. Ashlyn nodded dazedly. Snapping herself out of her stupor, Ashlyn was in disbelief; for a moment, she had a wild thought of Oliver being jealous of seeing her with Cedric. "Ashlyn," Cedric said, shaking her gently. She glanced up at him and smacked herself mentally. She had Cedric; Oliver should be the least of her worries.

"Do you think he knows?" Ashlyn asked as they hurried down to the fruit portrait. "What if he blows our cover?"

Cedric paused. "If it was meant to be," He finally said. Stretching out his hand, he tickled the pear on the painting. It giggled and turned into a doorknob which Cedric twisted open, helping Ashlyn into the kitchens. They were hailed by a dozen house-elves and ushered into a clean space of the kitchens next to the fireplace where it was away from the bustle. A tray of hot chocolate and biscuits zoomed towards them just after they took a seat. Thanking the house elves, Cedric and Ashlyn helped themselves to the food.

"You believe in that?" Ashlyn asked curiously as she nibbled a biscuit. Cedric raised an eyebrow at her questioningly. "In fate; just now you said that if Oliver told the whole school about us was meant to be, you'd accept it. So you believe in fate." Ashlyn concluded. "I guess you also believe that-"

"Everything happens for a reason," Cedric interrupted. Blinking, Ashlyn broke into a grin. Cedric smiled before reaching over and taking her hand; the fire flickered in his grey eyes. "Don't you?" His thumb stroked the back of her hand slowly, his gaze burning on her. Ashlyn reddened; warmth spreading throughout her body.

"Sometimes," She found herself saying, "But I believe more in that our actions decide our future."

"That makes us opposites." Cedric commented.

Smiling, Ashlyn leaned over the table. "Oh, you know what they say about opposites…" She watched as the grin on his face broadened before he too, leaned forward and their lips met in a sweet kiss.

* * *

Oliver paced up and down the Gryffindor common room, thoughts raging in his mind. He mulled over the scene that he had just witnessed: Ashlyn with Cedric Diggory, Diggory's hand on Ashlyn's lower back. A foreign feeling crept over Oliver, hot and sharp. He groaned and flopped onto the couch in front of the fireplace. The feeling was something Oliver had never felt before; it made him want to march back downstairs and beat Diggory up. Biting his lip, Oliver stared unblinkingly into the fire. The monster inside of him roared its displeasure. 'She's mine!' One side of him argued.

He shook his head in confusion, 'No, she's just a friend.' The other side reasoned.

Oliver closed his eyes and leaned back against the sofa. He remembered when they first met; Ashlyn was socially awkward and shy, cautious of approaching people. It was only when Fred and George introduced them, then Oliver noticed her. They quickly fell into a Quidditch conversation and Oliver was impressed by her vast knowledge of all the Quidditch teams known to man. She never laughed at him for being dedicated to Quidditch and seemed to understand how important Quidditch is.

He knew, of course, his relationship with Ashlyn was nothing more than friendship. Yet, he could not understand the myriad of feelings boiling inside of him. Oliver recalled how he could not focus during the Gryffindor – Slytherin match; his mind kept leaping to Ashlyn. Groaning, Oliver covered his eyes with his arm and attempted to clear his head to no avail. The visual of Ashlyn liking another guy as more than a friend made him scowl. Somehow, along the way, Ashlyn had been claimed as Oliver's; after all, she is the one who seemed to truly understand him.

Beating his head, Oliver glared at the Quidditch board on the table that he had set up earlier. He must have eaten something dodgy during dinner, or the Weasley twins could have slipped him something to drive him crazy. 'Ashlyn is just a friend.' Oliver told himself sternly. 'Nothing more,'

Just then, Percy stumbled into the Gryffindor common room; his cheeks pink. Oliver looked up and blinked at his roommate. Percy spotted Oliver and immediately straightened, falling into his normal Percy the Prefect mode. Percy's eyes fell on the Quidditch board in front of Oliver and chuckled. "You're still thinking of Quidditch?" Percy asked briskly, taking a seat on the armchair. "Oh wait, of course you are." Percy said as an afterthought.

Oliver laughed hollowly before stopping short. Percy had never made fun of his love for Quidditch before; he would scorn Oliver for wasting time, but Percy would never make fun of it. He looked at Percy strangely which the prefect caught. "What?" Percy asked, affronted.

Then it hit Oliver. A knowing smile spread across Oliver's face, "You've got a girl, eh?" The color drained from Percy's face. Oliver grew more gleeful, "What House is she?" Percy lips thinned, looking nearly like McGonagall. "Come on," Oliver coaxed, "I won't tell the twins, promise."

"That does not matter," Percy said stiffly even though his ears were turning red. "I mean- I do not know what you are talking about." Percy quickly amended his statement. Oliver's grin broadened. "I'm off to bed," Percy stood up, only to be tripped by Oliver who stuck out his foot at the right time.

"What House is she?" Oliver hauled Percy back onto the armchair easily due to his countless Quidditch training that gave him immense strength. A grin played on Oliver's lips; he could finally build ammunition against Percy who had threatened him countless times for flying out in the Quidditch pitch late at night.

"You won't tell Fred and George?" Percy glanced around for eavesdroppers; the common room was empty save for the two of them.

"Not a soul," Oliver swore.

Percy swallowed uncomfortably before speaking, "Ravenclaw,"

"Is it Ashlyn?" Oliver asked sharply, his fingers curling around his wand. Percy frowned up at Oliver.

"No, of course not," Percy said. Oliver relaxed visibly; he took his original seat on the sofa. "It's the-" Percy hesitated, "Ravenclaw prefect; Penelope. Penelope Clearwater," Percy repeated, the red of his ears spreading to his face. Quickly changing the subject, Percy retorted, "How is it going with Ashlyn anyway?"

Oliver's head snapped up, "Why do you ask?"

Percy rolled his eyes, "Don't insult my intelligence, Wood;" He said coolly, "I knew you liked her ever since she wore scarlet Gryffindor robes for your first match as Quidditch captain." Oliver thought of that fateful day; Potter became his new Seeker and the first match was between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Ashlyn wore Gryffindor robes to show her support. He could even remember how her hair smelled like when she threw her arms around him as a good-luck hug.

"Apples," Oliver spoke before he could stop himself. _Her hair smelled like apples._

Percy raised his eyebrows, "Excuse me?"

"Nothing," Oliver quickly said, falling back into his deep thoughts of a certain redhead with her amazing smile and apple-smelling hair.

* * *

Hogwarts was in a tizzy; the double attack on Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick led to a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so students could go home for Christmas. A Hogsmeade visit was scheduled just before the day that students left for home; as a chance for last minute shopping. Ashlyn glanced at herself briefly in the mirror before exiting her dormitory. She was supposed to meet Cedric in the Entrance Hall before heading down to Hogsmeade.

"Hi, Ash," Penelope Clearwater greeted the redhead cheerfully. "Better get going to the Entrance Hall soon; everyone is leaving soon." Ashlyn nodded. But before she could slide out of the common room, Penelope stopped her, "Going with Cedric Diggory, aren't you?" Penelope's eyes twinkled.

"Yeah," Ashlyn willed herself to not let any sort of emotion onto her face.

"Have fun," Penelope grinned knowingly before going up to her dormitory. Blinking blankly for a while, Ashlyn went down to the Entrance Hall. Clearing her thoughts, Ashlyn smiled as she caught sight of Cedric waiting for her. "Hi," She said breathlessly as she neared him.

"Ready?" Cedric asked; his grey eyes mesmerizing. Ashlyn nodded in reply, hoping to find her voice in time. As usual, they did not hold hands nor did he kiss her cheek. But he held open the door for her; the regular gentleman he was. As she stepped out of the school, Ashlyn wrapped her arms herself for warmth as the snow fell lightly from the sky. "Are you going home for Christmas?" Cedric asked, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"Nope," Ashlyn said, "Parents will be at work." At Cedric's questioning look, Ashlyn proceeded to explain, "Dad's an Auror and Mum's a Healer." Cedric nodded hesitantly as if he wanted to say something but ended up staying silent for a while. "How's your House taking Justin's attack anyway?" Ashlyn inquired as they entered the Three Broomsticks. They ordered two tankards of Butterbeer and took a table.

Cedric sighed, "Pretty hard; they still think it is Potter." He glanced at Ashlyn as she took a sip of Butterbeer. "Do you think he's behind all of it?"

Ashlyn grimaced and shook her head, "Can't be him," She said brusquely. Cedric raised his eyebrow, indicating her to continue. "Muggle-borns are being attacked. How can it be Harry when one of his best friends is a Muggle-born herself? Besides," Ashlyn folded her arms on the table, "If Harry was to attack someone, I'd think he would much rather attack Slytherins than his own Housemates and Hufflepuffs."

Cedric grinned, "You've got a point."

"It's really just basic common sense." Ashlyn shrugged. "Not that you or everyone else doesn't have it." She said quickly.

"It's alright," Cedric understood her intention, "Times like this; common sense flies right out of the window." Ashlyn murmured in agreement as she took another sip of Butterbeer. Before she could realize what was going on, Cedric reached across the table and took her hand in his. She sucked in her breath and glanced around; seeing that their table was right in the middle of the Three Broomsticks.

"Cedric," Ashlyn hissed, sneaking another look around. Cho and her Ravenclaw friends were already looking over with interest. "We're in public; you said-"

"I know what I said," Cedric only covered her hand with his other. "And I realized how incredibly _thick_ I've been." There was a strange fire in his eyes, making Ashlyn stay silent for him to continue, "I didn't realize how suspicious I was being; asking for us to be quiet about this." His fingers traced patterns over the back of her hand. "The reason I wanted us to be exclusive was because," Then, he became quite uncomfortable, "I was not brave enough to-"

"Not brave enough to what?" Ashlyn asked softly.

He swallowed before staring her right in the eye, "That doesn't matter anymore; I was hoping you would give me this chance." Ashlyn felt herself melting into a puddle, a runny gooey puddle.

"I don't understand," She said slowly, squeezing Cedric's hand in return. "I-I- I am just so speechless right now." Ashlyn let out a laugh.

"Then don't speak," Cedric murmured. He leaned forward and kissed her. Ashlyn distinctively heard the collective gasp at Cho's table, but she focused her attention on Cedric. The kiss was gentle, shy even; making Ashlyn's heart beat hard in her ears. It was as if rose petals were being stroked against her lips. Though they have kissed many times before, this time seemed different compared to the rest. It was more soulful, meaningful to the both of them. As Cedric pulled away, normalcy returned to Ashlyn's brain a bit too fast; leaving her dizzy and overwhelmed.

"Shall we go?" Cedric asked, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. Helping her up, they left their forgotten Butterbeers. Whispers broke out throughout the Three Broomsticks as they exited; even Madam Rosmerta saw them out with interest. Ashlyn's heart leapt as Cedric slipped his hand into hers; it was the first time they have held hands in public.

"You do know this will be all over Hogwarts by dinner." Ashlyn said conversationally, fidgeting uncomfortably as she came under the pressure of more stares from more Hogwarts students.

"Try the next few hours," Cedric scoffed as he stared determinedly front, barely paying attention to the group of gossipers who started whispering frantically as they caught sight of Ashlyn and Cedric. Ashlyn felt a gush of shame inside of her.

"You know," She said quietly, "You didn't have to do that; the kiss in the Three Broomsticks." Cedric stopped short and faced her, his hand never leaving hers. "I mean, if you wanted us to be secret because of all the unwanted attention; then I would have understood and we won't be going through this now-"

"Don't," Cedric said gently. "I can't have you suspicious of me; if we've got to deal with the school, that's fine. I have you now," He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "We'll get through,"

Ashlyn felt the burn behind the back of her eyelids as she wrapped her arms around Cedric's neck, ignoring the scandalized gasps of the gossipers. They pulled away and made their way back to the castle, Cedric's arm around her waist.

* * *

Raine Lee did not sense anything amiss when she entered the Great Hall for dinner. She took a seat at the Ravenclaw table and only when she pulled a plate of food nearer to her, then she noticed people whispering and looking over at her. "Luna," Raine addressed the first year next to her, "Is it just me, or is everyone else staring at me?" Luna Lovegood peered at Raine calmly.

"Maybe it's the Wrackspurts," Luna replied dreamily, "They float into your ears and make your brain fuzzy."

Raine nodded slowly and glanced at the Hufflepuff table. She noticed Cedric's group of friends talking and shooting her looks. Deciding to ignore them, Raine was about to dig into her Shepard's pie when Cho appeared with flourish. "It's all over the school," Cho reported, her eyes shining, "Ashlyn and Cedric," Beaming as she finally got Raine's attention, Cho continued, "in the Three Broomsticks, snogging in public." Raine choked. Cho thumped her back cheerfully, "I kid you not. It's great, don't you think?"

"Ashlyn Spencer's got a lot of explaining to do," Raine muttered before a smile crept onto her face. "So it's true then; they're together?" Cho nodded in reply. Craning her neck, Raine scanned the Hufflepuff table for Cedric but he was not there.

"WHAT??????" A voice boomed out at the Gryffindor table. Raine and Cho turned around and found that the voice belonged to Oliver Wood. He looked livid as the Weasley twins shushed him and began speaking in low tones to Oliver. Oliver caught Raine's eye angrily, making her present her back to him.

"Wonder what that was all about…" Cho frowned.

"Search me," Raine muttered darkly as she ate her dinner. As she was done, Raine got to her feet. "See you," Cho waved her off as Raine strode out of the Great Hall.

"Oy, Lee!" A voice called behind her. Stopping on her tracks, Raine spun around to see Oliver approaching her. Smoothing her features, Raine glanced coolly at Oliver as he neared her. "Is it true?" Oliver asked; his jaw tight.

"Is what true?" Raine played the ignorant card.

"Ashlyn and Diggory," Oliver snapped impatiently.

Raine's stare grew frosty, "No idea." She replied shortly, "Now if you'd excuse me, I would like to return to the Ravenclaw Tower-"

"Where is she?" Oliver interrupted.

Raine's temper flared, "Go look for her yourself. But see here, Wood," She jabbed her finger on his chest, "I don't know what crawled up your ass but don't you dare drag Ashlyn down into your misery, you hear me?" With that, Raine turned back around sharply on her heel and bustled away, fuming at the accusing tone in Oliver's voice. Sometimes Raine hated herself for losing her temper so much, but it came in handy whenever she wanted to make a quick exit. Ashlyn found it amusing that Raine had such a short temper and was the only one who could bear it; apart from George who was still learning.

Smiling slightly at the thought of George, Raine quickly went up the Ravenclaw Tower; thankful she was not going to get caught up in the drama she was sure Ashlyn would be in the next day.

* * *

Hoped you liked that. And I am sure Cedric has redeemed himself in your eyes, right **rukia23** and **Kenya**?

The next chapter is going to be exciting; I promise. Just another sneak-peek just for my reviewers:

_"Where the hell have you been?" Oliver demanded at Ashlyn, ignoring the glare Raine sent his way._

_The smile faded slightly from Ashlyn's face, "What are you talking about, Oliver? I have always been here-"_

_"Oh you have, haven't you?" Oliver continued, his growing louder still. It drew attention from the other Houses. "Ditching your friends to be with-" Oliver threw a scathing look at Cedric, "Not a very wise decision, is it-"_

_"Oliver," Ashlyn was well aware of the more unwanted attention from other people, "You're causing a scene."_

_"Not as big a scene you caused in the Three Broomsticks yesterday," Oliver shot back. As the words left his mouth, Ashlyn got to her feet; her face flushed with embarrassment._

Okay so please review! The next chapter will be interesting; don't you think?


	6. Chapter 6: Tactless

Chapter Six! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter because it made me explore two different mindsets; Ashlyn's and Oliver's. Maybe I would tackle Cedric's soon. As usual, I would like to thank my lovely reviewers such as **rukia23**, **Toolazytologin**, **StarletSpotlight**, **williammoseleysgirl**, **Kenya** and **OceanSapphire.** You guys are really precious; I would not have done this if it were not for you guys. Just a note to those who read and do not review: I know you are there. Please, just drop a review. Even one word makes a difference. If the one word is like 'Update' or 'Nice' or 'Good'. I have said before; constructive criticism is welcome.

Okay enjoy Chapter 6!

* * *

"Be reasonable, Wood."

"Step aside, Weasley,"

"You're making a mistake."

"Percy, get out of the way or I'll hex you." As if to prove his point, Oliver drew out his wand.

It was the morning of the day the Hogwarts Express would bring students home for Christmas. Oliver Wood was not in the best of moods; the night before was the reason. He felt sick to the stomach thinking of Ashlyn together- snogging- with Diggory. Oliver was unable to sleep, nearly imploding with his furious thoughts. He kept telling himself that it was none of his business and that Ashlyn was never his in the first place, but the jealousy was too bothersome to ignore.

Percy was getting nowhere by trying to stop him from doing something rash. Finally giving in, Percy stepped aside to let Oliver go.

Clenching his fists, Oliver headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. As he entered, he caught sight of Raine, Penelope Clearwater and a few other Hufflepuffs surrounding Ashlyn and Cedric at the Ravenclaw table. Ashlyn was holding hands with Cedric and she was laughing, her beautiful smile on her face.

At that moment, Oliver threw the concept of reasonable thinking and Raine's threat out of the window. He marched to the Ravenclaw table and broke through the group of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. "Where the hell have you been?" Oliver demanded at Ashlyn, ignoring the glare Raine sent his way.

The smile faded slightly from Ashlyn's face, "What are you talking about, Oliver? I have always been here-"

"Oh you have, haven't you?" Oliver continued, his voice growing louder still. It drew attention from the other Houses, "Ditching your friends to be with-" Oliver threw a scathing look at Cedric, "Not a very wise decision is it-"

"Oliver," Ashlyn was well aware of the more unwanted attention from other people, "You're causing a scene-"

"Not as big a scene you caused in the Three Broomsticks yesterday," Oliver shot back. As the words left his mouth, Ashlyn got to her feet; her face flushed with embarrassment.

"Let's talk," She said through gritted teeth. Pushing Oliver out of the Great Hall, they rounded the corner. "What is your problem????" Ashlyn cried.

"I haven't got one!!!" Oliver retorted hotly as he advanced towards her, "What the HELL is Diggory doing with you???"

"For your information," Ashlyn raised her voice to hide the tremble in it, "Cedric and I have been seeing each other for some time now; what's it to you??"

"Since when was he interested in you?" Oliver asked incredulously. "Took him some time to realize that he likes you, eh??"

"I suggest you ask him yourself," Ashlyn replied coldly. "You would probably get a better answer."

"Since when were YOU interested in him??" Oliver demanded.

"That's none of your business, Oliver," Ashlyn grounded out. "Why are you giving me the third degree for??"

"He never spoke to you before," Oliver continued restlessly. "And isn't it strange to you why he suddenly did??" Ashlyn was at a loss for words. "He's in your year! He knew you for four years now and never expressed interest in you until now!"

"I'm sure first and second years hardly notice anyone else other than in their House, Oliver!" Ashlyn's voice went a few notes higher. "And he told me," Her face turned pink, "He wanted to talk to me since third year but he didn't find the right time to!"

Oliver fought his boiling anger down, "Talk is cheap," He scorned. "Diggory may be empty-headed but he knows how to charm girls when he wants to."

"What are you saying, Oliver?" Ashlyn asked, controlling her emotions. "Are you saying that it's weird he asked me out?"

"Exactly!" Oliver yelled; then hesitated a moment later, "I meant-"

Ashlyn clenched her hands into fists, her heart hurting, "So you think Cedric only asked me out because he has an ulterior motive??" Oliver tried to object, but his throat was dry, "So ANY guy who's got interest in me must be either OUT of his mind or has a hidden agenda to hurt me??"

"You're twisting my words," Oliver defended himself, shame welling up in his body.

"God Oliver," Ashlyn whispered, "You're such a jerk." Exhaling shakily, she continued, "Just because someone likes me more than a friend doesn't mean he's got a motive! And just so you know, Cedric treats me MUCH better than you do!" Shoving Oliver, Ashlyn fled.

"At least I don't snog someone else in public to get attention!" Oliver bellowed after her. He distinctly heard Ashlyn sob before she turned the corner. Feeling furious, yet strangely disgusted at his behavior, Oliver re-entered the Great Hall; only to come face-to-face with Cedric.

"Where's Ashlyn?" Cedric asked; his expression unfathomable.

"Gone," Oliver replied coldly before returning to the Gryffindor table, bearing the stares of practically the whole school.

* * *

Ashlyn flung herself out into the open, her legs aching with pain. She exhaled raggedly and settled down on a bench in the courtyard. The cold crept onto her, making her realize she had no jacket; let alone a sweater. Wrapping her arms around herself, Ashlyn tried to calm herself down but the burn of Oliver's glare was imprinted in her head. Scrubbing a few stray tears off her face, Ashlyn tilted her head up; admiring the snowflakes that fell from the sky. Hiccupping, she pulled her knees to her chest; feeling Oliver's fury sticking to her like slime. "Hey," Ashlyn immediately recognized the voice. Pulling herself together, she glanced up to face Cedric who was breathing deeply from running.

She tried to speak but was unable to. He sat next to her and gently took her into her arms. Relaxing a great deal, Ashlyn buried her face into his sweater as a few more tears slid down her face. Wrapping her with his robes, Cedric gently stroked her hair. Realizing she was soaking his jacket, Ashlyn quickly pulled away. "S-sorry," She babbled, "I'm totally ruining y-your sw-sweater." She forced herself to let out a laugh.

"That's alright." Cedric reassured. "As long as you feel better; I don't mind being a human tissue for now." Now, Ashlyn genuinely giggled. He let her rest her head on his shoulder. "He doesn't trust me, does he?" Cedric asked lightly. Ashlyn sniffled as she breathed in Cedric's scent.

"He thinks you're crazy for liking me," Ashlyn mumbled.

"I'm crazy about you, does that count?" Cedric said sincerely. Her throat closed up; it was the first time anyone- let alone a boy- had ever said that to her. She bit her bottom lip as she smiled.

"Of course it does," She said. A companionable silence fell upon them before Cedric spoke again.

"He's just worried about you," Cedric said softly.

"No he's not," Ashlyn burst out, "He's just being unreasonable and close-minded. He thinks I'm not dating material and I should just stick to being a Quidditch fanatic-"

"Listen to me," Cedric lifted Ashlyn's chin. "Wood's probably right; I waited too long to approach you," He gently took her hand, "But that doesn't mean anything anymore; I want to be with you." He declared steadily. "I don't give a damn what Wood says."

Ashlyn quickly brushed a stray tear away, "You're right," She sighed. "I shouldn't care about what he thinks," She smiled up at Cedric, "I didn't know you were so good with words; well, I sort of did but I didn't know you could be that good," Sighing at her pathetic babble, Ashlyn said, "I've been so silly-"

"I won't have you any other way, you know that," He said seriously, his grey eyes sincere. Slowly, he leaned forward and kissed her. Ashlyn closed her eyes in quiet happiness and sank into Cedric's embrace. His kiss spoke so many things; his hidden desperation for her to trust him, his persistence to reassure her.

"OY, CEDRIC!" One of Cedric's friends, Alexander Campbell, yelled. "We've got to go!" Him, Damon Walker and Edward Hall stood near the entrance of the castle, waiting for Cedric to join them. Groups of Hogwarts students were walking across the courtyard to the carriages. Ashlyn turned back to face Cedric.

"I'll stay with you," Cedric said resolutely as he got to his feet.

"No, no," Ashlyn protested. "Go home and have a good Christmas; I'll be fine here." Cedric glanced at her doubtfully. "Cedric, I'm serious; go. I'll be okay." Seeing his hesitance and reluctance, she continued, "If you don't go, I'll feel guilty for holding you back. Go, I've got the Weasley twins. It's okay," Cedric mulled it over for a while before nodding. He escorted her to the entrance and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She gently pushed him to the direction of his friends, waving as he looked back.

Turning, Ashlyn caught sight of Raine rushing towards her. "Are you alright?" Raine asked in concern, "I was furious at Oliver; I nearly hexed him. But the Weasley twins sorted him out," Ashlyn gently brushed Raine's hands away.

"I'm fine," Ashlyn assured, "Cedric calmed me down and everything," Catching Raine's relieved face; Ashlyn let a small smile onto her face. "Get going; you'll be late. I'll send your Christmas present by owl." The two hugged briefly before Raine hurried across the courtyard to join the rest. With that, Ashlyn made her way back up to the Ravenclaw Tower to enjoy the empty common room.

* * *

"Why do I have to watch Percy again?" Ashlyn muttered at the corner of her mouth as Percy entered the Great Hall. It was dinner and Ashlyn had joined the Weasley twins at the Gryffindor table. Ashlyn had cheered up a great deal after writing to her parents and putting the final touches to all the presents she wanted to send out. Fred and George had a gleam in their eye that meant that they had something up their sleeve.

"Just do it, Spencer," Fred clapped her shoulder merrily. "I'm sure your brilliant sense of observation will come in good use." Ashlyn rolled her eyes and reached for her goblet of pumpkin juice to take a drink.

"Evening all," Percy said briskly as he took a seat across Ashlyn, next to George. Her eyes immediately searched for any unusual signs; it was only when she caught sight of Percy's Prefect badge, and she spat out her juice.

Percy's Prefect badge now bore the word 'Pinhead' instead of 'Prefect'. Coughing violently, Ashlyn waved Fred's hands away; covering her mouth. Somehow, before she spat out her juice; she had also inhaled the pumpkin juice. With her face dripping with pumpkin juice, Ashlyn grabbed a napkin to mop herself up; at the same time, laughing behind her hand. The twins were in quiet hysterics at her reaction. Clueless, Percy frowned at Ashlyn. "Are you alright?" He asked. Ashlyn nodded quickly, pulling herself together before placing down the napkin.

"Sorry Perce," She apologized, "You just had to witness one of my not-so-fine moments." She sniggered inwardly, "I can be such a Pinhead huh?" Fred snorted into his mashed potatoes while George choked on his soup. Percy helped himself to the food, shrugging.

"No harm done," He replied crisply. "What is the matter with the both of you?" Percy asked in exasperation at Fred and George.

"Ignore them, Perce," Ashlyn advised, "They're both pricks." With that, Fred dropped his cutlery and ducked under the table to howl with laughter while George covered his mouth with his napkin, his face turning red with pent-up laughter. "Told you so," Ashlyn pointed out to a ruffled Percy. She pressed her lips together to prevent the smile from appearing.

"Care to share the joke?" A deep voice interrupted. It was Professor Dumbledore addressing them from the teachers' table with Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick and Hagrid. Percy leapt up in surprise, as if he forgot that the teachers were there.

"What's the matter, Perce?" Ashlyn asked innocently.

"Probably sat on a pin," Fred piped up. The three of them roared with laughter until they remembered the teachers, "Just a joke, Professor," Fred hastened to explain, his face red from laughing too much. From then, Fred and George kept Ashlyn laughing with countless jokes; making her feel content and cheerful. By dessert, the morning's incident was far from her mind. As she got up from the table, she noticed Percy get to his feet as well. The both of them exited the Great Hall together.

"Are you alright?" Percy asked once they were out of the Great Hall.

Ashlyn sighed; she had hoped Percy would not bring up the matter, yet it was not meant to be. Stopping on her tracks, Ashlyn folded her arms, "I'm fine." She said bleakly. Percy looked around for eavesdroppers before speaking.

"I know Fred and George can be a bit tactless at times, so if you need someone to talk to…" Percy rattled on. Ashlyn stared at him in disbelief; Fred and George were the ones who cheered her up while Percy dragged the matter up again. Shaking herself, Ashlyn detected the slight note of concern in Percy's voice. Not daring to believe that Percy actually cared, Ashlyn interrupted.

"Percy, I'm fine," Ashlyn said, "Really."

Percy was still looking at her anxiously, "Look Spencer, Wood is a bit of a prat when it comes to this sort of things-"

"You don't have to speak for him, Perce," Ashlyn said coolly, "I don't care what Oliver thinks of me anymore. He said his piece and I will just have to accept whatever he truly thinks of me. Thanks, but no thanks," She cut in when she saw Percy open his mouth. "Goodnight, Percy," She bade Percy goodbye and strode past him to go up to the Ravenclaw Tower, her heart still hurting as she remembered Oliver's words.

* * *

It was Christmas. Ashlyn's eyelashes fluttered open as the sunlight fell on her eyelids. She stretched, her bones clicking into place; she had a fitful sleep the night before. Sitting up, she glanced around the empty dormitory before crawling to the foot of her bed. A smile crept to her face as she saw the heap of presents waiting for her.

Raine had sent her a large box of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Ashlyn's favorite sweet from Honeydukes; Mrs. Weasley sent her a Weasley sweater and homemade fudge; her parents replied her letter and attached it to a new eagle-feather quill, reminding Ashlyn fully of Lockhart's peacock quill; Fred and George gave her a bag full of Zonko's products which she planned to use against them later; Cara, her other roommate, sent a box of Chocolate Frogs; Ginny Weasley sent a beautifully made Christmas card while Angelina gave the book Curses and Counter-Curses by Vindictus Viridian, making Ashlyn smile. Placing her presents aside, Ashlyn was disappointed to find nothing from Cedric. After all, she did send him box of Chocoballs from Honeydukes.

It was only then there was a tap on the window. Ashlyn looked up and noticed two owls hovering outside her window. She quickly let them in; they were carrying a bouquet of red roses, a scroll of parchment tied to it. Smiling to herself, she untied the roses from the owls and unrolled the parchment. It read:

_I had an Everlasting Charm placed on them._

_Hope you know what 24 roses mean. _

_Merry Christmas,_

_Cedric_

Ashlyn placed down the parchment and picked up the bouquet. The roses were as red as ever and looking freshly-picked, smelling wonderful. She counted the twenty-four roses and absently wondered what the significance of 24 roses was until she caught sight of a line she did not read before:

_P.S Just in case: 24 roses mean I can't stop thinking of you._

Sighing in bliss, Ashlyn fell back onto her bed and idly fingered the fat rose petals. Finally getting back up, she placed the roses on her bedside table; tying the parchment to the roses. Precisely at that moment, Penelope Clearwater entered. "The Weasley twins are waiting for you downstairs; I just let them in." Nodding, Ashlyn began to gather the clothes she was going to wear. "Oh my," Penelope gasped softly as she saw the roses. "Are those from Cedric?"

"Yeah," Ashlyn smiled as she took another look at the roses.

"He's got taste and good sense in his head," Penelope commented casually. "He sure knows how to please a girl." Shrugging innocently, Ashlyn changed; pulling Mrs. Weasley's sweater over her head. Dragging on her robes, Ashlyn swept downstairs where George and Fred were waiting.

* * *

Oliver lay on his bed; his arm flung over his eyes. He was miserable; probably in the worst state ever for a Christmas. The scene outside of the Great Hall kept replaying in his head. He knew he made a mistake, blowing up in front of Ashlyn. Oliver winced as he remembered the hurt in her green eyes, piercing him right in the chest. His pride held him back from sending her a Christmas present, held him back from writing her an apology. Groaning loudly, Oliver sat up and glared at a corner of his room.

Suddenly a knock on the door jerked him out of his reverie. Oliver's father entered and regarded his only son carefully. "Is something bothering you, Oliver?" He asked as he sat down at the foot of Oliver's bed.

"How did you know?" Oliver mumbled, staring off at a space of his room.

"Call it a mother's intuition; your mother sensed something was off," Mr. Wood replied. "Although I knew something was wrong when you did not start talking about Quidditch once you came back." Oliver rolled his eyes.

"I think of other things other than Quidditch, Dad,"

"And I don't doubt that." Mr. Wood said calmly. "This leads me to believe that this problem disturbing you concerns a girl," Oliver swallowed. "I understand, Oliver, you are sixteen years old and you probably don't want me prying; but your mother and I are here for you." Mr. Wood said simply before getting to his feet.

Before Mr. Wood could reach for the doorknob, Oliver blurted out, "I yelled at this girl I like," Finally, Oliver had admitted it out loud. Mr. Wood slowly turned. "And…I think I've ruined my chances…" Oliver continued awkwardly. A silence fell upon the two males for a moment before Mr. Wood let out a whoop and ruffled his son's hair affectionately.

Oliver struggled away, flabbergasted, "DAD!" He yelled in embarrassment.

Mr. Wood laughed joyfully at his son's evident discomfort, "That's my son," Mr. Wood declared and sat back onto Oliver's bed. "Alright, I'll be serious now," Mr. Wood quickly said as Oliver glowered at him. "What did you fight about?"

Oliver fidgeted uncomfortably, "She was seeing someone else," He muttered, "And I just yelled at her," Realizing how stupid he sounded, Oliver avoided his father's eye. Oliver was at a loss; how he was able to yell at Ashlyn yesterday morning was beyond him now.

Mr. Wood noticed his son's quiet regret and placed a comforting hand on Oliver's shoulder, "You're my son, Oliver; I know you did not mean to hurt her."

"But-"

"You will find that apologizing will go a long way." Mr. Wood advised. "I trust you will know what to do," He squeezed Oliver's shoulder and got up. "Now if you would excuse me, your mother would find all of this _very_ interesting…"

"Dad," Oliver said sharply. Mr. Wood strode out of Oliver's room, "Dad, don't tell Mum- DAD!!!!" The Gryffindor Quidditch Captain leapt off his bed and ran after his father who just laughed gaily.

* * *

Fred, George and Ashlyn headed back to the castle after a walk around the Quidditch Pitch. "Imagine," Fred rubbed his hands for extra warmth, "Sitting in front of the fire with hot chocolate,"

"Let's head to the kitchens then," Ashlyn suggested as she slipped an arm around George's.

"Hang on, I have to tie my shoelace," Fred fell behind and knelt down. George and Ashlyn continued their way at a slower pace so Fred could catch up with them later. Just then, 'SPLAT!' a snowball bit the back of Ashlyn's head. Her eyes widened, frozen.

She slowly turned around, "Oh, you did not just do that." A sly-looking Fred was already holding another snowball.

"SNOWBALL FIGHT!!" The Weasley twins yelled together. Ashlyn shrieked in laughter as she was pelted with snow. Employing her Quidditch skills, Ashlyn dodged a few snowballs and scooped up a rather large snowball. She hurled it at Fred who ducked; the snowball hitting George's face. Howling with laughter, the three of them enjoyed the time having their snowball fight. Finally exhausted, they dropped down on the snow; Ashlyn in the middle. "F-freezing…" Fred stammered, shivering inwardly.

George and Ashlyn groaned in agreement simultaneously. They glanced at each other and just cracked up. Panting, they settled back to admire the pale blue sky.

"Err, Fred, George?" Ashlyn said. They glanced at her. "Thanks," She said quietly, smiling at George then Fred, "For cheering me up."

"Don't get **too** comfortable," Fred warned. He threw a handful of snow onto Ashlyn's face before getting up and running back to Hogwarts. Giggling, Ashlyn wiped the snow off her face and followed Fred alongside George. From then, they spent the time in front of the Gryffindor fire, wrapped in blankets and playing Exploding Snap. Although she would not say it, Ashlyn knew.

She could not have wished for better best friends.

* * *

So how was that? Christmas is a great event to write about.

By the way, I created the Everlasting Charm; just came out of nowhere. If it belongs to anyone, let me know.

I loved the fight scene and how Cedric talked to Ashlyn. And no it isn't bad to start liking Cedric more than Oliver, **StarletSpotlight**. I'm guilty of the same thing. -sheepish smile- Blame me for it; I initially did not like Cedric so much but then he seemed like the ultimate gentleman that every girl dreams about. So I started writing him the way he is and now, I probably have a total crush on him. Still, Oliver will always be THE one. It is unfortunate he is such minor character.

I also enjoyed writing the scene of Oliver and his father. It was a totally 'SQUEE' moment and an introduction to Oliver's family. His father works in the Department of Magical Games and Sports, hence sharing his passion for Quidditch with his son and thus able to pass fresh results of Quidditch to Oliver. His mother is the normal house-wife, nearly like Mrs. Weasley. By showing that Oliver has a steady up-bringing, it means that other factors do not affect his emotions; therefore all his emotions purely his.

As usual, an excerpt from the next chapter:

_"There's no need to be mad at him," Ashlyn pointed out._

_"You've forgive him?"_

_"No, it's just that it shouldn't concern you," Ashlyn shrugged, "It's between him and me, really."_

_"You were upset," Cedric stopped on his tracks. "You were crying and he did not even apologize for it. I can't forgive that," He said seriously, gently taking her hand. "Don't you understand?"_

Okay please review!


	7. Chapter 7: Bleeding Heart

Chapter Seven! This chapter came out faster than usual as I will be going on holiday from Friday to Monday. So I will not be updating at the period of time. I will still be writing of course! But I would probably only update next...Wednesday? So I will be leaving this chapter for you guys to chew on. Exciting things coming up! HUGE thanks to my lovely reviewers: **OceanSapphire**, **Toolazytologin**, **Karma Lynn**, **williammoseleysgirl**, **Kenya**, **StarletSpotlight**, **Hurricane Rachel** and **StormXBringer**. But ohmygosh, where is **RUKIA23**????? Aw, I'm so hurt. Haha but thanks you guys!

So I have decided that at the end of the chapter, I will have this sort of 'campfire' thing where if you guys have any questions for me, I will answer them at the end of each chapter. And if you made any interesting comment in your review, I might also just address it! I got the 'campfire' idea from NCIS, my new favourite crime show. Haha so think about it and ask me your questions in your reviews!

Okay enjoy Chapter Seven!

* * *

Ashlyn tapped her foot, leaning against the pillar of the courtyard. Today, all those who went home for Christmas were coming back to Hogwarts. Soon, groups of students poured into the courtyard. Waving at a few Ravenclaws, Ashlyn stood on her tiptoes to see above the crowd. Cursing herself for her average height, Ashlyn jumped up and down lightly on her feet; hoping to catch a glimpse. She stopped when she caught sight of Raine cutting through the crowd. Smiling, Ashlyn hugged her best friend. "Thanks for the Drooble's Gum!"

"And thanks to you for the Sugar Quills," Raine grinned. "Had a good Christmas?" Ashlyn nodded affirmative.

"What did you get for Christmas?"

"Oh this and that," Raine said vaguely, smiling uncertainly, "You know my dad," Raine was a Half-Blood; her mother was a witch and her father a Muggle. Instead of being shocked at his magical wife, Mr. Lee had taken the whole thing very well; nearly like a child during Christmas. So when Raine was born, he spoiled her and lavished many gifts on her.

Mr. Lee was extremely affectionate of his only daughter; occasionally making Ashlyn jealous of Raine. Her father was an Auror and was barely home whenever she was. The smallest consolation was that whenever Mr. Spencer was home, he would pay his full and undivided attention to Ashlyn. "Where's George?" Raine asked casually, unable to hide the red appearing on her face.

Ashlyn grinned knowingly, "He's waiting for you outside the Ravenclaw Tower." Raine smiled happily and quickly bid her best friend goodbye. Ashlyn smiled as she watched Raine depart, wondering if she has ever seen Raine so happy before. Barely paying attention to her surroundings, Ashlyn did not catch Cedric detaching from the crowd and approaching her.

She only snapped out of it when Cedric slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her briefly on the lips. "Nice to see you too," Ashlyn commented. "I trust you had a great Christmas, Mr. Diggory?" He steered her towards the Black Lake; their usual place.

"If you would so kindly as to define 'great'," Cedric muttered as they strode across the courtyard. "If 'great' means thinking of you all day, then I had a brilliant Christmas." Ashlyn reddened, shivers spreading from Cedric's light weight on her waist to all over her body. "What about you?"

"I had a wonderful Christmas," Ashlyn said as they settled down on the cool grass, the snow already melting. "Thank you for the roses, they're really beautiful," She smiled up at Cedric. He leaned forward and kissed her deeply, his arms circling her waist. Inching onto his lap, Ashlyn enjoyed the warmth Cedric's embrace provided. He gently pulled away after a few moments.

"You're welcome," He breathed, his warm breath on her forehead made her skin tingle. Moving their limbs, Cedric shifted their position to make Ashlyn more comfortable. She slid her arms around him and laid her head on the crook of his neck and shoulder. Sighing contentedly, she pressed her lips on his neck before returning her gaze to the Black Lake. "Are you cold?" Cedric asked as he absentmindedly played with the ends of her hair.

"Not so much," She reassured, closing her eyes.

"How _touching_," A sneer came from behind the two of them. Cedric and Ashlyn sprang apart and glanced around. It was Professor Snape; his black eyes as dull and dark as ever. "I would advise the two of you to prevent yourself from showing such displays of affection in front of the younger students." They got up, an awkward silence hanging over them. "Get back to the castle," Snape snapped. "That will be five points from Ravenclaw, Spencer." His dark eyes that moved to Cedric, "Five points from Hufflepuff as well, Diggory,"

Daring not to meet Snape's eye, Ashlyn bent her head down and quickly hurried back to the courtyard. She was biting down hard on her lip, trying to hold back her laughter. It was only when Cedric caught up to her and took her hand; she laughed. "You heard him," She chided but laced her fingers with his instead.

"He's probably jealous," Cedric muttered. Punching his arm lightly, Ashlyn giggled as they strode across the courtyard. Entering the castle, Ashlyn caught sight of Oliver. He was walking in the opposite direction; towards them. She looked away in embarrassment, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. Cedric's arm slipped around her waist, bringing her closer to him protectively. Everything seemed to be in slow motion; the two boys glared at each other before breaking eye contact.

Willing herself not to look back, Ashlyn glanced up at Cedric. A muscle leapt in his jaw and he was mutinous, his grip on her had tightened and he was half-dragging her by the arm. Swiftly, she tiptoed and planted a kiss on his cheek. The anger faded and he slowed his pace. "You know if looks could kill, you would have left a bloody trail behind." Ashlyn teased.

Cedric relaxed, "I guess,"

"There's no need to be mad at him," Ashlyn pointed out.

"You've forgiven him?" Cedric's jaw tightened.

"No, it's just that it shouldn't concern you," Ashlyn shrugged, "It's between him and me, really."

"You were upset," Cedric said, stopping on his tracks. "You were crying and he did not even apologize for it. I can't forgive that," He said seriously, gently taking her hand. "Don't you understand?"

Ashlyn tilted her head to the side and stepped closer to him, "You're such a bleeding heart," She murmured, wrapping her arms around his neck. Pressing her lips to his briefly, Ashlyn murmured, "Thank you," Cedric grinned and wrapped his arm around her, gently guiding up the stairs towards the Ravenclaw Tower.

* * *

Oliver stared glumly out at the Black Lake. He was playing various scenarios in his head, or at least trying to. The memory of Ashlyn barely able to look him in the eye kept barging into his mind's eye, making his heart ache. Shaking himself out of it, he concentrated hard, "I'm sorry," He said aloud. Mulling it over, he tried again, "Forgive me, I was a prat-" Everything sounded foreign to him; apologizing was not the easiest thing to do, even if it was just practicing. "I'm sorry," Simple and straightforward; just the way he liked it.

"The first sign of insanity: talking to yourself," Angelina's voice floated from behind him. Glancing behind, Oliver saw his fellow Quidditch player approach him. Angelina took a seat next to Oliver and looked at him in amusement. Truth be told, out of all three Gryffindor Chasers, Angelina was the one who knew Oliver well enough to be comfortable around him.

Oliver sighed, "I've been thinking about it throughout Christmas-"

"Her," Angelina corrected. "Ashlyn isn't an object, Oliver."

His mouth stretched into a grim smile, "Right," Sighing in frustration, Oliver rested his head on his fist as he glared out at the water. "Are you here to yell at me or something?"

Angelina raised her eyebrow, "How could I ever yell at my own Quidditch captain, Oliver?" She asked innocently. Oliver snorted incredulously, failing to anticipate Angelina's next move. Her hand slapped the back of his head. His head jerked and his jaw dropped open. "You deserved it," Angelina reminded coolly. "I wouldn't yell at you but I can hopefully knock some sense into you."

Rubbing his head, Oliver muttered something inaudible along the lines of "Bet you've been waiting to do that all Christmas."

Angelina's eyes flashed but she decided to let it go. "Anyway, what have you got?"

Oliver glanced at her in confusion, "Got what?" He echoed stupidly.

"How are you going to apologize to Ashlyn?" Angelina prompted impatiently.

"No idea," Oliver muttered. "She could not even look at me," Gloom descended down on him again.

"You did say some hurtful things," Angelina pointed out stoutly. "Come on, Oliver; you have never treated her so harshly before. I would have hexed you if I were her," Angelina concluded to herself thoughtfully.

"Are you here to help me or not?" Oliver growled.

"God, Oliver," Angelina threw her hands up towards the sky, "Just say sorry! Is that so difficult?"

"It isn't exactly very easy," Oliver defended, "She can barely look me in the eye, so how can I apologize that way? She probably hates me now," Oliver muttered; the guilt overwhelming his being. "And judging by the way Diggory looked at me earlier on; I'd have better chances facing a dragon than approaching Ashlyn."

Angelina rolled her eyes, "It's not like Ashlyn can't think for herself; Wake up, Oliver, do you even know Ashlyn well enough?" Angelina demanded incredulously.

"Of course," Oliver shot back, offended. "Diggory's just got-"

"He's YOUNGER than you, Oliver!" Angelina exploded. Her hand descended down on his head again. "You're going to let a YOUNGER Hufflepuff stand in your way from patching up your friendship with Ashlyn??" Fueled into the regular spit-fire she was, Angelina ranted at Oliver while assaulting his shoulder simultaneously. "You-" She smacked him. "Are-" Another smack; "Such-" Smack; "A-" A punch she delivered this time; "PRAT!" Angelina groused.

By then, Oliver was chuckling in amusement. He fended off Angelina's blows, laughing. Realizing she was not getting anywhere, Angelina dealt a final punch on his shoulder before bursting into laughter as well. "You prat," Angelina said, a small note of affection in her voice.

The two settled into a comfortable silence. "Thanks, Angelina," Oliver finally said. The dark girl smiled to herself; Oliver usually addressed his peers by their surnames. But by calling her by her name, it showed his obvious sincerity. Scoffing at him jokingly, Angelina got to her feet and left Oliver to his thoughts.

* * *

Raine lay in bed, wide awake. She knew all of her roommates were already asleep. Estimating the time, she threw off her covers; still fully dressed. Pulling on her robes, Raine crept around the room; making sure Ashlyn and the rest were sleeping. Then she slipped out of the dormitory into the common room. She exited the Ravenclaw Tower and into George's arms.

"If we get caught, I'll kill you," Raine said breathlessly, excitement bubbling inside of her. George scoffed and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I realized you tell me that whenever we do this," George frowned. Whipping out the Marauder's Map that Raine grew accustomed to seeing, George tapped the parchment with his wand, "_I solemnly swear that I am up to no good_," Slowly the lines and ink stretched across the blank surface. Raine studied the map over George's shoulder.

Filch was skulking at the second floor; Professor Snape was patrolling the third floor; Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout were walking along the Ground floor. "Alright," George stowed the map back into his robes. "_Lumos_," He muttered. His wand lit up; taking Raine's hand, they descended to the fourth floor.

It was not the first time that Raine and George had a short moonlight walk around the castle. Although it was against the rules, Raine loved the rush of adrenaline as they escaped the close shaves. It was pointless but at the same time, they enjoyed their time together. "So what's going on with Diggory and Ash?" George asked casually, remembering Oliver's request- threat- for George to find out what Diggory and Ashlyn's relationship was like.

Raine immediately caught on, "Tell Wood to mind his own business," She muttered as they walked along a corridor of sleeping pictures. Keeping his wand down so as to not wake up the portraits, George pulled Raine closer to him. "The nerve…" Raine growled.

He laughed quietly, "How did you know?"

"Because you wouldn't really want to know," Raine pointed out, "You're the type who wouldn't want to get involved."

"But he threatened me with more Quidditch practice," George whispered, "I can feel my arm muscles cramping up already,"

"Aw," Raine cooed sarcastically. "Honestly, Ash's relationship with Cedric seems pretty clear to me. He seems to really like her, treating her with respect and care," Raine sighed happily, "And he makes her happy, that being a key factor."

George scowled, "You're right; I don't want to know,"

Raine brushed it off, "Plus, he thinks of her first; the reason Diggory will always be better than Wood." Raine declared.

"Then doesn't he sound a bit _too_ perfect?" George said. "Calls for a bit of suspicion, doesn't it?"

Raine rolled her eyes, "Are you jealous?" She asked playfully, "Or are you thinking like Wood and saying that Ashlyn does not usually inspire such good treatment from males?"

"No, no, of course not," George said hastily, "Just that Diggory seems a little too flawless; I'd be on my guard."

"A little too late, Weasley," Filch's greasy voice came from behind them. George and Raine stopped on their tracks, a swooping feeling filling Raine's stomach, "Tsk, tsk, tsk," Filch approached them, "What do we have here…?" A grim smile stretched across Filch's wrinkled face.

Busted.

* * *

"Out of bed," Professor McGonagall's voice trembled with fury. George and Raine were standing in front of her desk of her Transfiguration classroom. "Do you know how dangerous it is to be out of bed at night, unaccompanied by a teacher??" Her voice rose like a whip, making Raine and George flinch. "TWO helpless students and a cat lie in the Hospital Wing, PETRIFIED and the two of you walk around the school as if nothing is going to harm you," Professor McGonagall's face was drawn tight, the lines of her face more pronounced.

"Professor, we-" George tried to explain.

"Weasley, it is difficult enough taking care of the younger students; Hogwarts cannot have older students making rash, foolish decisions!" Professor McGonagall snapped. Professor Flitwick's unusually stern gaze landed on Raine. "The two of you have behaved in a way that is unacceptable to both Houses of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw." Professor McGonagall said. "Forty points will be taken from both Houses and there will be detention for the both of you,"

"Yes, Professor," They said in unison meekly, not daring to meet each other's eye. Professor McGonagall swept away while Filch returned to patrolling. George and Raine turned to go.

"Miss. Lee," Professor Flitwick called, "I would like to have a word." Raine glanced briefly at George before walking back to the desk. "If you would so kindly wait outside, Mr. Weasley," Professor Flitwick said. George obeyed, closing the door behind him. Raine raised her eyes to meet Flitwick's blue ones and quickly averted her gaze. Disappointment was apparent in Flitwick's eye. "Please explain your actions," Professor Flitwick said.

Raine shrugged her shoulders helplessly. "I-I was just- It was just a walk, Professor," Raine gave up. Flitwick's face did not change. Instead, he sighed heavily.

"Disappointing, naturally," He said, "Off you go, Miss. Lee," Slightly confused, Raine said goodnight and hurried out of the classroom. George was leaning against the wall, waiting for her.

"What happened?" George asked anxiously. "What did he say?"

Raine shook her head, "He just seemed really disappointed." She said as they hurried up towards the Ravenclaw Tower. "And he wanted to say something but he decided not to," Raine said thoughtfully. "Oh and George…"

The Weasley turned pale, "…You're going to kill me for getting up caught?"

Raine blinked. "Oh that-"

"I know, I know," George said in resignation, "I should have kept a closer eye on the map and if you were with Fred, you would get by without getting caught-" He was interrupted by Raine kissing him fleetingly on the lips.

"But I'm not with Fred," Raine murmured. Kissing George again, she drew back, "And it's high time you remembered that," Patting George's cheek, Raine slipped out of his grip and returned to the Ravenclaw Tower, a small smile playing on her lips.

* * *

'Maybe it's just me,' Ashlyn thought to herself. 'But I could have sworn…' Lost in her thoughts, Ashlyn doodled idly on a piece of parchment. She was sitting in the library, attempting to complete her History of Magic homework. Not surprisingly, something about Raine that Ashlyn noticed occupied her mind. Raine seemed to be hiding something from her. Unsuspecting, she failed to notice another presence behind her.

"Ashlyn," Just a whisper was enough to catch her attention; but her name was said right in her ear, the speaker's warm breath stroking her cheek. She let out a squeak, blotting her essay. Whipping around, she stared up at Cedric who was clearly amused. He drew a chair close to her.

"That wasn't funny," Ashlyn pouted as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I could get banned from coming here for screaming out of nowhere," Cedric's thumb brushed her cheek as he glanced over her shoulder at her essay.

"Goblin rebellions," He scanned the essay, ignoring what she said. "Did you know you wrote the same sentence twice?" His grey eyes darted over the page to check for more mistakes. Covering her hand with his, he guided her quill to cross out the extra sentence. Then he plucked the quill out of her hand so that his fingers were able to lace together with hers.

"So you came here to correct my History of Magic homework?" Ashlyn leaned against Cedric comfortably.

"No, I came here to see you," Cedric murmured, his voice low in her ear. Feeling tingles spread throughout her body, Ashlyn sank into Cedric's embrace. Now she was certain she was not going to be able to concentrate on her essay.

"But you saw me this morning," She rested her head on the crook of his neck. "Isn't that enough?"

"Of course not," Cedric grinned. "It will never be enough,"

Unknown to Ashlyn and Cedric, they were being watched by three other people. The three eavesdroppers were separated from Cedric and Ashlyn by a bookshelf, a set of books pushed aside for them to see the couple. Out of the three eavesdroppers, one was a girl with blonde hair. "Oh that is so cute," She sighed. "Who knew Cedric could be so romantic?"

"That's the point," The blonde boy hissed in disbelief. "Cedric's never been like this before; which leads me to believe he has been Confunded or Imperiused,"

Another sandy-blonde boy rolled his eyes, "Give me a break, a fourth year performing one of the Unforgivable Curses on Cedric? As if," The three watched Cedric pull Ashlyn onto his lap and the two leaned forward to tackle Ashlyn's essay. "Can't you just accept the fact that Cedric likes her? It's as clear as day,"

"No," The other boy said stubbornly before turning to the girl, "You said you flirted with him; how did he respond?"

"He was normal, did not express interest at all," The girl said impatiently. "I told you already; Cedric has eyes for no one else but her. And I think it's sweet," The girl tore her eyes away from the blonde boy to watch Cedric and Ashlyn; Cedric's chin resting on Ashlyn's shoulder, his arm wrapped around her waist.

"That's your opinion," The blonde boy said, "But I intend to find out what kind of girl she is, and why he likes her so much."

"And how do you suppose you're going to do that?" The sandy-blonde boy asked skeptically.

"I'll just put a little heat on her; see how she handles it," The other boy said casually. "It's just a small test," Turning to the girl, he asked, "Will you help me?"

She shrugged, "Of course,"

"Good," The boy turned back to watch Cedric and Ashlyn who were conversing softly. Cedric's lips were pressed on her neck and Ashlyn had her head tilted back, a smile on her face. "Cedric will thank us for this…"

* * *

Oooh sounds interesting, right? What is going to happen?

This chapter was a mixture of Ashlyn/Cedric, Oliver&Angelina and Raine/George. I liked writing the Oliver and Angelina part; their friendship is really cute methinks. As he is always so engrossed with Quidditch, Oliver strikes me as the type who mixes with those who love Quiddich as well, the exception being Percy. By making Angelina Oliver's closest friend-who-is-a-girl, it might just help him understand girls. Keyword being 'might'; from the previous chapter, I hope you have gathered than Oliver is not the type to share his problems.

Just a taste of what a 'campfire' is!

Behave, **williammoseleysgirl**! Oliver and Cedric go out?? Haha I don't do slash but hey, you know what? It's a good idea. Which leads me to my next point: Whatever suggestions you guys have, just tell me alright? Anything you guys want to see in this story, let me know. Additionally, I intend to write this story from Chamber of Secrets all the way to Deathly Hallows and more. So rest assured that this story will be long! I long for the day to see my story reach thirty chapters and have loads of reviews! -dreams away- And the people who have that power to make that dream come true? You.

Okay please please please please do review. Give me a little treat when I come back, won't you?


	8. Chapter 8: Jealous Types

Chapter Eight! Oh my I am over the moon, I tell you. I returned from my holiday and my email was crammed with fanfiction emails telling me that I got reviews for the previous chapter. And I teared; I swear. I teared a little at the eyes just like the way David Cook did after his 'Always Be My Baby' performance during American Idol. [Anyone a David Cook fan here by the way?] So I have quite a few people to thank, my lovely wonderful reviewers. Here it goes -deep breath- thank you to **Lift The Wings**, **rukia23**, **OceanSapphire**, **ScarletRoseX**, **williammoseleysgirl**, **MunchlaxMage**, **Kenya**, **Hurricane Rachel**, **Kopycat**, **Toolazytologin** and **.jess**. You guys are amazing. _Amazing_. You all deserve a virtual hug.

OKAY! So sneaky people revealed in this chapter! Enjoy!

* * *

She threw down her quill and sighed in relief. Ashlyn Spencer had officially completed the huge load of homework that the teachers had set. Stretching, Ashlyn smiled peacefully out at the Black Lake. The weather was just the way she liked it: windy with the sun hiding behind a thick curtain of clouds. Cedric was having Quidditch practice and Raine was off studying with Cara Davis. Gathering her things, Ashlyn got her things and headed back towards the castle.

She planned to get a snack from the kitchens before returning to the Ravenclaw Tower. But as the saying goes: the best of plans often change. She was soon accosted by one of Cedric's friends, Alexander Campbell. "Why don't you come and sit with us for a while?" Alexander asked with an all-too-bright gleam in his eye.

Ashlyn hesitated; she had never spent time with Cedric's friends without him before. Not that she was disallowed to; it was just whenever she spoke to Cedric's friends, he would be by her side. "Sure," She said. There was nothing to fear; they were Cedric's friends. But she could not help but wonder why the sudden invitation as she stared at the back of Alexander's blonde head.

Peering past Alexander's shoulder, Ashlyn caught sight of Damon Walker, Edward Hall and one blonde girl she did not know. Damon got to his feet as he saw Ashlyn. "Ashlyn," He sounded surprised at her arrival, "What are you doing here?"

"Alexander invited me," Ashlyn said, a tone of confusion in her voice. Before anyone could speak, the blonde girl jumped up happily.

"Oh, I feel as if I know you already!" The blonde girl exclaimed. Finally it struck Ashlyn; the girl was the one Ashlyn saw flirting with Cedric during the Gryffindor – Slytherin match.

"Sorry Ashlyn," Damon smiled tightly at her, "We'll leave you and Lucy to talk. We need to speak with Alexander for a while." Edward and Damon tugged Alexander away from the girls. "Alright, what are you doing?" Damon demanded sternly.

Alexander rolled his eyes, "Just a test," He said vaguely.

"What?" Damon hissed, "You know what Cedric said! He told you specifically to back off!"

"Have you considered the good points of this?" Alexander demanded. "We hardly know anything about her; she might be having Cedric under a spell-"

"There you go again," Edward groaned. "You're being over-dramatic. Just because Cedric does not tell us so much about her; you go and think she's a Dark witch who has cursed him!"

"Look, I've got it under control, alright?" Alexander glared at both Damon and Edward. "Cedric's off at Quidditch practice, he wouldn't know about it." Glancing over at the two girls, Alexander folded his arms and waited for Lucy's signal.

Over at where Ashlyn was, she was feeling a growing sense of foreboding. It was clear how Damon and Edward were not expecting her. Lucy, the blonde, noticed her uncertainty and waved her hand carelessly at the three boys who were talking to each other, "They'll be back soon," Smiling hugely, Lucy leaned forward, "So…how is it with Cedric?"

Wondering how it was any of Lucy's business, Ashlyn replied simply, "Fine," There was a flash in Lucy's eye, but it disappeared as she smiled again.

"Of course, of course," Lucy nodded, "The start always is…"

"How would you know?" Ashlyn asked before she could stop herself, feeling an irking feeling inside of her; knowing she was going to regret asking the question.

"We were together last year," Lucy said matter-of-factly. "But we broke up when the school year ended." Anticipating Ashlyn's next question, Lucy promptly answered, "He said he liked someone else," Ashlyn turned pink which Lucy caught. "And Cedric doesn't like the jealous types," Lucy said quickly, "But who can blame me for wanting to keep Cedric all to myself, right?" Lucy smiled knowingly at Ashlyn.

'Is that the new way of telling me to back off?' Ashlyn thought to herself. Getting to her feet, Ashlyn raked her head for an excuse. "I've got to go-" She was saying.

"Oh here they are!" Lucy pointed out as the three boys approached.

"I really have to go," Ashlyn repeated as the boys neared them. "Someone is waiting for me-"

"That's alright," Alexander dismissed her excuse with a wave of his hand. "Do sit down," His blue eyes pierced her, a slight order in his tone. Damon shot a warning look at Alexander before smiling reassuringly at Ashlyn. "We have a few questions for you," Sitting back down, Ashlyn felt even more muddled than she did before. "Alright," Alexander looked at her, "How many boyfriends did you have before Cedric?"

Ashlyn nearly fell over, "What??" She gasped, "I – that is – why"

"Just answer it," Alexander said coldly.

"None" Ashlyn said, her cheeks flushed.

"Hm," Alexander regarded her skeptically, as if he did not believe what she had just said. "How many boys have you kissed before Cedric?"

"That is none of your business," Ashlyn said shakily. "Why are you asking me this for-?"

"Just a background check," Alexander said smoothly. "Do you ever feel the inclination to see another bloke while you're with Cedric?"

"Alexander," Damon said sharply. "That's enough." Ignoring the question the best she could, Ashlyn struggled to her feet; burning with fury. But Alexander caught her wrist before she could escape.

"One last question," Alexander said, ignoring Ashlyn's cry. "Have you ever shagged anyone before?"

* * *

Oliver was searching for Ashlyn. He knew he was ready to face her; to apologize to her. But so far there was no luck in finding the redhead. Cursing the castle for its immense size and intricacies, Oliver strode out into the courtyard. He caught sight of Ashlyn surrounded by Diggory's friends; but Oliver sensed something amiss. For one, Diggory was not around and Ashlyn was struggling to her feet. Nearing the group, Oliver's reflexes kicked in when one of Diggory's friends grabbed Ashlyn's wrist. "…Ever shagged anyone before?" Diggory's friend demanded.

"HEY!" Oliver yelled before he could stop himself, "Let her go, you tosser!" Ashlyn looked at him, shock and surprise etched on her face.

"Alexander," The dark-haired boy spoke, "Let her go," The boy who had Ashlyn still held on, tightening his grip.

"This is none of your business, Wood," The boy sneered. "Why don't you go and yell at one of your other friends since you're so good at it?"

Feeling a twinge, Oliver squared his shoulders, "Whatever your name is, let her go or else I will hex you into oblivion and make you stay there." Oliver threatened darkly. Making use of Alexander's distraction, Ashlyn wrenched herself free of his grip. Wincing slightly, Ashlyn massaged her sore wrist. "Are you alright?"

Ashlyn glanced up at him, her parted lips frozen as if he was a ghost. "I-I'm…fine," She said. Picking up her bag, Ashlyn hurried off the courtyard with Oliver on her heels.

"Why wasn't Diggory with you?" Oliver caught up with her, falling into step with her. Ashlyn stopped on her tracks and whirled around to face Oliver.

"He's at Quidditch practice," Ashlyn said. An awkward silence fell between them. "I guess I should say thanks," She muttered, her tongue pushing out the side of her mouth. Smiling weakly at Oliver, Ashlyn turned to leave.

"I'm sorry," Oliver blurted out, making Ashlyn freeze. "I was out of order that day and I shouldn't have yelled at you-"

"So why did you say it?" Ashlyn interrupted, not even turning around to look at Oliver.

He hesitated, "I was just a prat…" He said awkwardly. Ashlyn looked back at him, an eyebrow raised skeptically. "I was worried," Oliver quickly, "I don't want you to rush into anything," He said gently. Ashlyn turned her body to face him, a defiant expression on her face.

"Well, I'm not rushing into anything," She retorted. Oliver let a smile onto his face; the tension between them dispelled. Ashlyn stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Oliver's neck. His arms circled her waist; she fitted perfectly in his embrace. "You're forgiven," She mumbled into his shoulder. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," He said. Breathing in relief, Oliver buried his face on the crook of Ashlyn's neck; inhaling the scent of her hair.

_Apples.

* * *

_Cedric looped around the three golden hoops on his broom. Quidditch practice was monotonous and Cedric could barely wait to see Ashlyn; as soon as he finds the Snitch. Spying the Snitch fluttering near one of the towers, Cedric urged his broom forward and stretched out his hand. But a shriek made him lose his concentration and look back; his mind leapt to Ashlyn.

Loud roars of laughter broke out in the Hufflepuff team. "Need time to check up on your girlfriend, Diggory?" The Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain Wright joked. Wright exchanged high-fives with the Hufflepuff Beater Rickett, the one who faked the scream.

"Not funny!" Cedric yelled; his cheeks flushed. Now the Snitch was gone. Cursing, Cedric scanned the stadium. But something else caught his attention. A figure clad in standard black robes was striding out into the field. Squinting, Cedric realized it was Oliver Wood. Scowling slightly, Cedric descended slowly along with the rest of the Hufflepuff team.

"What do you want, Wood?" Wright demanded.

"I need to talk to Diggory," Wood said coolly. The team parted to let Cedric through. "Alone," Wood added as an afterthought. Wright frowned and glanced at Cedric. As Cedric nodded ever-so-slightly, Wright ordered the team back to practice; patting Cedric on the back before mounting his broom.

"What is it?" Cedric asked grimly, his mind focused on Ashlyn.

"Your _friend_ asked Ashlyn whether she has ever shagged anyone," Oliver shot back. Cedric raised his eyebrow. "He hurt her," Oliver added. "Better have more control over who your friends are, don't you think?" With that hanging in the air, Oliver turned and left. Clenching his hands into fists, Cedric bristled. Kicking the ground, Cedric noticed the Snitch circling one of the goal posts. Mounting his broom, Cedric kicked off and sped towards the goal posts; the wind sharp and hard on his face.

The Snitch danced out of his reach. Channeling all his frustration, Cedric flattened himself on his broom and stretched out his hand. His fingers closed on the helpless Snitch. Pulling out of the dive, Cedric directed his broom towards Wright. Dumping the Snitch in Wright's hand, Cedric headed towards the ground and left the pitch without a single word to his team.

Heading towards the courtyard, Cedric caught sight of his friends. Clenching his broom, Cedric strode towards them. Damon and Edward saw him and sat up; Lucy bit her lip and Alexander made himself look nonchalant. "Cedric-" Damon started to say but fell silent as Cedric stopped right in front of Alexander.

"I told you to back off," Cedric grounded out.

Alexander's expression turned stony. "I thought something was off about her-"

"I said, back _off_," Cedric interrupted. "You had no right," Barely waiting for a reply, Cedric left in search of Ashlyn. Heading up the Ravenclaw Tower, Cedric hesitated at the door. He reached for the eagle knocker but the door opened before he could. Penelope Clearwater looked surprised to see him.

"Hello, Cedric," She said. "Looking for Ashlyn?" Smiling as he nodded, Penelope let him into the Ravenclaw common room and went up a flight of stairs Cedric guessed that led to the girls' dormitories. Trying to look casual and not so out-of-place, Cedric avoided the curious stares he got from the other Ravenclaw students. He stared up at the white marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw; reading the tiny words etched on the diadem: Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure.

"Cedric…?" Ashlyn's voice came from behind him. He detected a note of confusion in her voice that he understood; it was the first time he actually entered the Ravenclaw common room physically. "What are you doing here?" An uncertain smile crossed her face. "What's wrong?"

Cedric swallowed, "Why do you think something is wrong?"

Ashlyn shrugged innocently, "I can feel it," She said simply. He relaxed, his heart filling up with love for her. She seemed to sense things without him even saying a word. "So what's wrong?"

"What did Alexander say to you?" Cedric asked. The smile slid off Ashlyn's face. "Ash," He said firmly, gently taking her wrists. "Tell me what he said. What did they do to you?"

Ashlyn smoothed her features to look expressionless, "Nothing," She said shortly. Letting a smile onto her face to assure him, Ashlyn said, "Don't worry about me; it was nothing." Seeing Cedric's expression darken, Ashlyn sighed and pulled Cedric to a quiet corner of the common room where a comfortable sofa stood. After they took a seat, Ashlyn looked at Cedric right in the eye. "Nothing happened, Cedric."

"Why won't you tell me?" Cedric argued, "I know it was bad enough that Wood came to find me-"

"Oliver went to find you?" Ashlyn gasped. "Oh great…" She muttered, swearing to give a complimentary whack on the head to Oliver the next time she sees him. "Look, Oliver just happened to be walking by when he saw Alexander grab onto me, that's all-"

"He did WHAT?" Cedric exclaimed. Realizing her mistake, Ashlyn shushed Cedric quickly as a few Ravenclaws looked up in alarm. Cedric took her wrist a bit too fast and hard; making her wince, it was the same wrist Alexander held just now. Cedric quickly let go and held her hand by the fingers, examining her wrist. There was no mark, but it was sore. Cedric brushed his fingers gently on the skin. "What did they say?" He asked; his eyes intent on her wrist.

Knowing Cedric was stubborn this way, Ashlyn gave up. "They just wanted to know about us," She said in a winning tone. "That's all," She shrugged, as if it did not matter. "But I learnt a few things," Ashlyn treaded on uneven ground. "How were things between you and Lucy?" Cedric's head snapped up.

"Lucy?" He sounded confused. "What do you mean?"

"The two of you went out the previous school term," Ashlyn prompted. Cedric's face remained blank and confused. "She said that the two of you broke up because you didn't like jealous types…?" Cedric's expression cleared up and he began to laugh.

"Did she say that?" Cedric said as he stifled his chuckles. "Typical," He grinned at Ashlyn's affronted expression. "Alright, Lucy and I did have something last year," He smiled uncertainly at Ashlyn. "But I ended it because I liked someone else."

"So what about you not liking jealous types?" Ashlyn prodded.

Cedric frowned, "Now that is unheard of. I happen to find the jealous types extremely attractive," His lips curved into a knowing smile as his arms circled her waist. Pulling her onto his lap, Cedric ran his fingers through her hair. He kissed her ever so gently, almost hesitatingly. Cupping his face with her hand, Ashlyn leaned in; pressing herself closer to Cedric. They kissed for a while before Cedric pulled away. "I'm sorry," He exhaled shakily.

"For what exactly…?" She prompted. "God Cedric, you don't have to apologize for everything." He leaned back as she regained a proper seat on the sofa. Resting her head on his shoulder, Ashlyn laced her fingers with his. Squeezing her palm gently, Cedric kissed her forehead gently.

"So, you forgave Wood?" Cedric asked casually.

"He did apologize," Ashlyn murmured. "Why?" Cedric shrugged nonchalantly. "You think I'm being soft?"

"As long as you think he means it," Cedric said. "I shouldn't be trying to change your opinion." Smiling, Ashlyn kissed Cedric's cheek briefly.

"Glad you know that,"

* * *

End of Chapter Eight!

Okay CAMPFIRE!!

It's really great to see several new reviewers, it warms the cockles of my heart. But I do implore those who still don't review to do so because a review means a lot. A lot to me. So just drop me a review, you know? Say what you like, what you don't like, what you would like to see etc etc. Just like **williammoseleysgirl**! Haha she wants to see Cedric and Oliver 'get it on' which I turned down but hey, it was a suggestion anyway! So please, do review!

Oh it's great to see **rukia23** back too! Haha I thought you abandoned me! Which brings me to my next point: I got an idea about encouraging reviewers to review. I noticed that **rukia23** and **Kenya** have been reviewing this story since Chapter One and I would really like to thank them in a way. I also noticed those like **williammoseleysgirl **who has been reviewing since Chapter Two and **Toolazytologin** since Chapter Three. It still is a bit early but I would like to know what you guys would like if you keep reviewing faithfully. Let me know, won't you?

Okay now I shall address a few of the reviews! Hmm...Awh, why don't you like Cedric, **OceanSapphire**? Do tell! I mean, it's interesting how you still adamant about not liking him so let me know why, alright? Thanks so much for the long review, **MunchlaxMage**! I actually do encourage long reviews so do not hesitate to leave one.** Kenya**, don't hesitate to give ANY ideas you have alright? It doesn't matter whether you're more or a writer or reader; ideas are ideas and I would love to hear some of yours sometime. Haha thanks for the heads-up, **Toolazytologin**! I would hate for you to start hating my fic because it turned out too short or something! Yes there will be obstacles and lots of drama. I get quite emotionally drained when I think of it, truth be told.

Which reminds me: I just got inspiration for a Daphne Greengrass/ Oliver Wood fic. It is a response to the 100 Quotes of Life challenge along with the Never-Before-Seen-Couple challenge in the forums. What do YOU think about that? I think Daphne/Oliver would be a very sexy couple to write about; after all, no one has done it before! So let me know!

REVIEW PLEASE!


	9. Chapter 9: Bloody Valentine's Day

Chapter Nine! Wow I got another wave of reviews that definitely made my day! HUGE thanks to **Lift the Wings**, **OceanSapphire**, **ScarletRoseX**, **rukia23**, **williammoseleysgirl**, **Lotti6369**, **StarletSpotlight**, **Hurricane Rachel**, **Trinity Cloud**, **Toolazytologin**, **MunchlaxMage** and **jess**! **Kenya** seems to have disappeared somewhere though! Nonetheless, you guys are amazing. Thank you so much for your kind words. This story has officially reached over 2000 hits. But the first chapter has 600 hits while the rest have 100 over hits only. Acks, means that some people who come to this story do not even continue to the later chapters! Not a very nice thought, is it?

Anyway, enjoy Chapter Nine!

* * *

"It…It's…" Ashlyn said faintly, her finger pointing weakly at the scene in front of her. Turning wildly to Raine with a fearful expression on her face, Ashlyn stammered, "Tell me I'm dreaming-" Raine pushed her hand down, nodding understandingly.

"I know, I know it's a nightmare," Raine soothed. "But no need to get so dramatic,"

"B-but it's…" Ashlyn's voice faltered again. "He's so pink!"

It was Valentine's Day and Lockhart decided to ruin it just the way he ruined Defence against the Dark Arts. The walls of the Great Hall were covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Heart-shaped confetti was falling from the ceiling. Lockhart himself was wearing lurid pink robes. That was not the end. A dozen surly-looking dwarves entered the Hall, wearing golden wings and carrying harps. "My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" Lockhart was saying. "They will be roving around the school today delivering your Valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion? And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly old dog!"

Ashlyn and Raine winced as they watched their Head of House bury his face in his hands. "There is a place for people like Lockhart," Ashlyn commented to Raine. At Raine's questioning look, Ashlyn elaborated, "St. Mungo's," Cracking up; the two girls turned their attention to their breakfast, picking fallen confetti out of their toast. "Someone needs to chuck him in there…" Ashlyn muttered in frustration as she checked her goblet of orange juice which just became orange juice with heart-shaped confetti.

"Who needs to be chucked where?" Ashlyn looked up just in time for Cedric to kiss her properly on the lips. "Happy Valentine's Day," He murmured, a smile tugging the sides of his mouth. He swung himself easily onto the seat next to her. "Raine," He nodded at her politely, "How have you been?"

"I'm doing great; thanks for asking," Raine smiled warmly at Cedric. His charm was hard not to like and Raine was definitely happy for Ashlyn. "Do you have anything planned today?"

Cedric just smiled mysteriously and tilted his chin at Ashlyn who was engrossed with picking the confetti out of her toast. Immediately getting the message, Raine nodded and smiled secretly to herself. But Ashlyn happened to be good at multi-tasking and she was following the conversation. "So are you planning anything special?" She peered at Cedric. He only shrugged and looked away, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Oh come on," Ashlyn put down her toast. "You can't be keeping secrets from me now-"

"Just eat, Ash," He said gently, pushing the plate to her. "And don't ask so many questions."

"What about you? You just came in!" Ashlyn grumbled. She hated not knowing. She did not mind surprises; after all, ignorance was bliss. But knowing that something was going to happen; the anticipation would antagonize her.

"Not hungry," Cedric said lightly. "How can I be, with all of this falling from nowhere?" He glanced up with distaste at the still-falling confetti. Losing her appetite as well, Ashlyn pushed her plate away.

"Oh go on," Ashlyn urged, "What are you planning?" Cedric shook his head and kissed Ashlyn fleetingly on the lips, effectively shutting her up for the moment. Right then, a shadow fell over the both of them and the intruder cleared his throat. It was Alexander and he was looking highly uncomfortable.

"I…" Alexander muttered, "Just wanted to say that I'm sorry for treating you like that and asking you all the questions," He said it all in a rush. Ashlyn glanced at Cedric at the corner of her eye; he was not looking at Alexander, looking intently at the juice jug on the table. Shaking her head secretly, Ashlyn returned her gaze to Alexander.

"It's alright," She assured Alexander, "There's nothing to apologize for, right Cedric?" Ashlyn asked cheerfully as she dug her elbow into Cedric's ribs. He scowled and glared at Alexander before nodding grudgingly. After Alexander left, Ashlyn shoved Cedric, "Don't be such a man!" She joked. "Couldn't you have at least said something??"

"There was nothing to say," Cedric shot back. "Shall we go for Defence against the Dark Arts now?

"Not until you tell me what you're planning," Ashlyn replied smugly. "Go on, you're killing me here!" She stuck out her lower lip.

Cedric smiled before leaning forward, as if he was going to divulge a secret to her. Ashlyn leaned in happily. "You'll see," He murmured. Seeing the disappointment in Ashlyn's eyes, he kissed her briefly on the lips again. "Let's go," He took her hand.

* * *

"_Happy Valentine's Day," He said low in her ear. She looked up and a beautiful smile spread across her face. The smile he so longed to see more often whenever she sees him. He kisses her sweetly on the lips. She smelt like apples as always. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he sighs blissfully as she rests her head on his chest. "I love you," He said into her hair. _

_She raises her head, her smile widening, "Snap out of it, Wood," He blinked in confusion. It was not her voice; it seemed a lot like…_

"WAKE UP!" Percy Weasley's voice boomed. Blinking dazedly, Oliver rubbed the back of his head where Percy's hand had descended on. Then Oliver glared hotly at the Prefect who was now taking a seat across him.

"What was that for?" Oliver demanded. "That bloody hurt…" Wincing slightly, Oliver massaged the back of his head.

"You were drooling," Percy said briskly as he picked up his cutlery. "It was getting quite comical but," Percy sniffed, "You do deserve a bit of dignity, whatever you have left." Oliver scowled and picked at his food which was already infested with the heart-shaped confetti falling from the ceiling. "Thinking about Ashlyn, aren't you?" Percy asked.

Oliver stabbed his sausage with a new vengeance, flicking the confetti out of it, "Bloody Valentine's Day…" To Oliver, Valentine's Day was just an excuse for the gods above to laugh at Oliver stare jealously at the happy couples, most particularly one couple which consisted of Ashlyn Spencer and Diggory the Duffer. Glaring at Diggory who just kissed Ashlyn, Oliver put down his fork.

"You know," Percy spoke conversationally, "You could tell her,"

"No," Oliver corrected, "She would hate me all over again." Shaking his head grimly at his ruined breakfast, Oliver gave up. Getting to his feet, he left the Great Hall. He had half the mind to hex Lockhart for broadcasting the event. In previous years, nobody made a big thing out of Valentine's Day and Oliver would have liked it to stay that way.

"Oliver!" A voice came from behind him.

"Alright, I'M ALREADY AWAKE!" Oliver yelled as he wheeled around. It was Ashlyn, with a confused look on her face at his outburst. Smacking himself mentally for his stupidity, Oliver quickly apologized. "What's the matter?" He asked curiously, not daring to hope for what he wished she would say.

"Just doing my Valentine tradition," Ashlyn smiled. She withdrew a small bag of chocolates from her bag. "Here you go," She smiled hesitatingly, "Happy Valentine's Day!" Pausing only for a split second, she hugged him quickly. With that, she turned and left. Feeling strangely light-headed, Oliver made his way towards to Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration classroom; a new bounce in every step he took.

* * *

It was Defence against the Dark Arts and Ashlyn was bored. As she and Cedric officially declared it a waste of time, they took the back seats of the classroom where they could talk and not be detected. Her head rested on her left arm, her right hand was holding Cedric's left. "How long more is this lesson?" Ashlyn groaned. "Please tell me it's nearly over!"

"It just started!" Cedric said incredulously. "But it is that bad…" He added thoughtfully as Lockhart just begun another one of his skits out of his book. "Why did you go and look for Wood?"

"Fulfilling my Valentine tradition," Ashlyn shrugged, "I give all my friends chocolates on Valentine's Day,"

"So what do I get?" Cedric asked jokingly. "Since we're more than friends, I get something better I hope…" His lips pressed against her temple. Smiling giddily, Ashlyn squeezed his hand.

"You've already got me, what more do you want?" Ashlyn whispered, raising her eyebrow.

Cedric grinned, "Touché," He traced patterns on the back of her hand, "But point taken," At that moment, the doors were flung open and one of Lockhart's cupids entered, bearing Valentines.

"Raine Lee," The cupid grumbled. Lockhart beamed as the cupid handed Raine a stack of Valentines. The cupid went around giving out Valentines; Cedric getting the biggest stack. Then finally, "…Ashlyn Spencer," The cupid deposited a decent pile of Valentines to her before slamming the door behind him.

Ashlyn scowled at Cedric's Valentines, "Admirers a' calling, aren't they?" She muttered under her breath. Plucking one of his Valentines from the stack, Ashlyn read, "_Oh Cedric, you are the love of my life. Please be my Valentine._" Taking another, Ashlyn read, "_Dear Cedric, why don't you leave that Spencer girl and take some time to be with me?_" Biting back a grin, Ashlyn dared to read another, "_Cedric love, I can't stand being without you. Every time you smile, my heart flutters-_" Cedric immediately pried the Valentine away from her, his cheeks pink. "You've been smiling at other girls!" Ashlyn said in mock-outrage. "How _could_ you??"

"Funny," Cedric deadpanned, "What do yours say?"

Grinning, Ashlyn tackled her pile of Valentines. "_Happy Valentine's Day, Ash. From Ginny,_" Ashlyn read. "Aw, isn't that sweet? And this one: _Happy Valentine's Day, Ash. Don't have TOO much fun with Diggory. From Angelina,_" Ashlyn tilted her head and regarded Cedric. "See? Nothing interesting here; yours on the other hand…"

"Why do girls send each other Valentines?" Cedric changed the subject.

Ashlyn shrugged, "It's polite. And besides, friends are always there for you. In a way, it is love but in a different form," Ashlyn explained. "And don't distract me; your admirers might hurt me one of these days…"

"I promise, I will not let them lay a hand on you," Cedric declared; his thumb gently stroking her knuckles.

"My hero," Ashlyn smiled dreamily.

Cedric tweaked her nose, "I'm anything but,"

* * *

"Spencer!" Oliver called as he approached Ashlyn and Cedric from behind. The last lesson was over and Cedric was just bringing Ashlyn to her Valentine's surprise. Oliver squared his shoulders as the two of them turned around; Cedric look all not-too-pleased. Reminding himself that he and Ashlyn were friends again, Oliver knew that there should be no tension between him and Ashlyn. "Diggory," Oliver nodded coolly at the Hufflepuff in question.

Cedric regarded Oliver back, saying nothing. Ashlyn, rolling her eyes at the two boys, prompted Oliver, "What is it?"

"Right," Oliver said hastily. He reached into his bag and withdrew a box of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum. "To cover for Christmas and Valentine's Day," Ashlyn smiled widely as she took the box, her fingers brushing his ever-so-gently; making his fingertips tingle.

"Oh Oliver, you shouldn't have," She chided. "Thanks," Awkwardly, she patted Oliver's shoulder before Cedric steered her away. "Bye, Oliver!" She said over her shoulder. He raised his hand in farewell and slowly lowered when she and Cedric disappeared around the corner.

"Didn't work as you expected?" Fred's voice floated teasingly from behind him. Oliver sighed in resignation as he turned around to face the Weasley twins who were wearing identical grins on their faces. "There, there, dear ol' Quidditch Captain," Fred thumped Oliver's back cheerily.

"Don't tell me," Oliver said sarcastically, "The both of you have a plan,"

"Nope," George said.

Oliver raised his eyebrows, "…No? You…don't?" He stared at the two Weasleys for a while before speaking again, "You ARE the Weasley Twins, right? Or are you someone who Polyjuiced them?"

Fred rolled his eyes, "Do you REALLY think-"

"That we'd allow some prat to take our hair…?" George demanded, his hand running through his red hair as he spoke.

"A definite no if I ever saw one," Fred clapped Oliver's back and steered the nonplussed captain down the corridor. "What we have, my friend-"

"Is some information you might find most useful," George chimed in.

"About Ashlyn," Fred added.

"Said by the lady herself," George assured.

"No lies," The both of them said in unison at Oliver's skeptical look. "Really, Oliver," Fred said in exasperation. "Would we EVER lie to you?"

Oliver regarded them suspiciously. Sure, the Weasley twins have not tricked him before, yet being the key word. And Oliver remained doubtful. "Alright, what have you got?" Oliver challenged. There was no harm in knowing what Fred and George knew. There was a gleam in both Weasleys' eyes before they divulged the piece of information they knew.

Oliver's eyes widened as Fred and George finished. He let out a short laugh of scorn. "I don't believe you," He said harshly, pulling his arm out of George's grip. "This little prank might just cost you two twenty laps each around the pitch the next time we have Quidditch practice."

"But it's true," Fred called after the flustered Quidditch Captain.

"VERY true," George agreed.

"We've got proof!" They yelled. That stopped Oliver on his tracks. "Oh yes, we do," Fred crowed. "And if you get yourself back here and apologize nicely, we'll let you see it."

Oliver practically barreled into the twins as he returned to see the evidence. The prospect of what the twins told him being true was too much to bear. "Alright," He said impatiently, "I'm-sorry-now-let-me-see-the-proof," He said all in a rush.

Fred grinned knowingly at George, "Bless him, he's so excited." Extracting a roll of parchment from his pocket, Fred handed it to Oliver, "Mind you, it is a wretch giving it to you; Ashlyn being our best friend and all...her privacy being disturbed by you…"

Oliver unrolled the parchment and his eyes darted over the words, "This is all rubbish," He said calmly.

Fred sighed and said, "Show him, George." The twin in question jabbed a line on the parchment which made Oliver's eyes widen. He moved a few lines up to read the words above the line George pointed out. This is what Oliver read:

_Shut up; I do not have a crush on Ron. _

**Yeah if it is anything; it probably is him having a crush on you than the other way around. **

_Whatever_

I can't think of anyone else except-

**Wood; that's IT!**

_What???_

**You're going RED! THAT MEANS IT IS WOOD!!!! ASHLYN SPENCER HAS GOT A CRUSH ON WOOD-**

_I am NOT going red!!_

_**Unfortunately, you are.**_

_NO I AM NOT!!! Fred, stop it with that insane look on your face. Stop grinning like that-_

**YOU REALLY DO HAVE A CRUSH ON OUR DEAR QUIDDITCH CAPTAIN!!!**

YOU DO YOU DO YOU DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

_Now see here the both of you. Flitwick is giving us the evil eye-_

**SHE HAS A CRUSH ON WOOD!!!!!!!**

WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US?????

_Right, like you guys are going to help me. Oh damn-_

**AND YOU JUST ADMITTED IT!!!!!!! **

Ashlyn and Oliver sitting on a tree…

**Bloody hell; I never knew, Ash.**

_Stop it; nothing is going to happen between Oliver and me, alright? _

**Not if I can help it.**

_Look, he wouldn't get the message. I tried already; just forget it._

Oliver rolled the parchment back up and returned it to Fred. There was an odd dreamy look on his face. Ashlyn really did have a crush on him. Then he snapped out of it. "NO!" He said so loudly that Fred and George jumped. "How can I be happy about that? She's with Diggory-"

"Wood," Fred patted Oliver's shoulder, "Truth be told-"

"We're on your side," George piped up. "You know Diggory's just a-"

"Empty-headed pretty-boy who is nothing compared to you," Fred said, a sly smile on his face, "And we would much rather-"

"See Ashlyn with you than with Diggory," George said biting his grin back. Oliver glanced at the Weasleys, "Just a proper apology and simple thanks would do," George said modestly.

* * *

"Cedric, where are we going?" Ashlyn asked as Cedric led her away from Hogwarts. He did not answer, only smiling mysteriously. Letting Cedric pull her along, Ashlyn realized that they were going uphill. Finally, he came to a stop and glanced at Ashlyn. She was mesmerized by the scenery. The place he led her to overlooked the Black Lake and the Forbidden Forest, facing the sunset. The sky was stained with pink, orange, yellow and blue. "Oh Cedric," Ashlyn murmured. "It's beautiful,"

"Yeah, you are," Cedric said. Tearing her eyes away from the sky, Ashlyn inched into Cedric's embrace. A smile flitted onto his face. He then invited her to sit on the ground; the grass was thick enough to be comfortable. And he took out a container of fresh strawberries and cream from his bag. "For you to last until dinner," Cedric explained.

"I'm impressed," Ashlyn commented, opening the container of strawberries. "For that, you can have a strawberry," She fed him one strawberry.

"Just one strawberry…?" Cedric tilted his head to the side.

Ashlyn laughed, shaking her head, "You're really cheeky today," She shifted her position to let Cedric's arm wrap around her waist. "I wonder why…" Her voice trailed away as his lips fell on her neck, leaving a few tantalizing kisses in its wake.

"Likewise," Cedric murmured low in her ear. Giggling, Ashlyn rested her head on his shoulder. The two of them admired the sunset and polished off the strawberries in a matter of minutes. Cedric drew imaginary patterns on her knee while she snuggled closer to him.

"Do you really not like Oliver?" She finally spoke. Cedric groaned, shifting uncomfortably. "Come on!" She sat up. "Won't you talk to me about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about," Cedric muttered. "You've forgiven him; he's now just another bloke,"

"That's a really, really pathetic answer," Ashlyn laughed. Seeing Cedric scowl, Ashlyn laughed harder. "I KNOW!" She was struck by an idea. "Why don't you and Oliver go to Hogsmeade next week? I saw the notice; there's going to be a Hogsmeade meeting. You and Oliver can have a Butterbeer and talk!" Ashlyn suggested excitedly.

"No," Cedric said immediately. "No," He repeated as Ashlyn's face fell.

"Why?" She protested. "It's worth a shot," Cedric kept shaking his head. "Aw, please, Cedric?" She pleaded.

"No," He said firmly.

"Please?" She clasped her hands together. "Please, Cedric. I can't have one of my close friends and the one I'm with start growling at each other every time they see each other!" Cedric began to falter, she could see it. "Please, please…" She murmured. He averted his gaze quickly to avoid seeing the plea in her eyes. "I promise, if it goes well; I won't bother you about it anymore," Ashlyn promised. "And I won't turn up in the Three Broomsticks to check up on you two," Ashlyn swore. She tried again, "Please?"

Cedric rolled his eyes, his defence useless against Ashlyn. "…Alright," He grumbled. She smiled happily and kissed him. Pulling her closer to him, Cedric decided to milk it for all its worth.

She owed him this much.

* * *

Hope you liked that! Remember the note-writing between Ashlyn and Weasley twins in chapter One? I'm sure you do!

As I mentioned before, **williammoseleysgirl **suggested that Cedric and Oliver to go out. So to twist things; instead of they going out romantically, why don't they go out for the sake of their relationships with Ashlyn? Haha had inspiration just by a suggestion by a reviewer. Cheers, **williammoseleysgirl**. Credit goes to you for the idea.

Awh thanks for the reassurance, **rukia23**! You're a really great person you know? I am honored to receive your review every single time. I am honored to recieve all the reviews from you guys. It means a lot to me when you guys do so. I am sure I would have a difficult time choosing between Oliver and Cedric, **Lotti6369**; save for **OceanSapphire** who is still adamant about liking Oliver over Cedric. It's okay, it's okay, everyone has their own opinion. Do not hesitate to give your views! Thank you so much for your kind words about my writing, **jess**! I'm sure most of us here are suckers for Oliver. And YES, he is gorgeous, isn't he?

Okay about the previous chapter, this is regarding **MunchlaxMage**'s review. It was not my intention to show that Hufflepuffs can be cruel but actually how fiercely loyal they are to their friends to the extent that sometimes they end up hurting someone else. It is amusing though, how so many of you are raring for Alexander to get whacked on the head, or at least whacked. But he apologized; let bygones be bygones.

My Oliver/Daphne fic! My head is crammed with ideas that I often mix it up with this story! While writing this chapter I actually stop and think, "Wait...I am writing about Daphne or Ashlyn?" So it is still in the process of being written. Thanks for your views though, **Hurricane Rachel **and **Toolazytologin**. They are duly noted and appreciated!

It's February, can you believe how time flies?? And it is no coincidence I decided to update in February. I know updating this chapter on Valentine's Day itself would be way too long and you guys would probably start hunting me down and threatening me for an update. So an early Valentine's Day greeting to all you readers out there. Don't do anything I won't! Haha!

Alright, do drop me a review please!


	10. Chapter 10: Gits

My goodness, it has finally arrived to Chapter Ten! TEN! Thanks to my reviewers who made me carry on: **rukia23**, **ScarletRoseX**, **Lift the Wings**, **Hurricane Rachel**, **jess**, **OceanSapphire**, **StarletSpotlight**, **williammoseleysgirl**, **musicizmylife135**, **Toolazytologin** and **Ami-Weasley**! But **Kenya** is still missing!!! Hugs to those who reviewed though. Methinks it is time I just thank my reviewers and move on with the chapter. Should I? Of course I should.

On to Chapter Ten!

* * *

Cedric Diggory realized that he had dug himself into a hole.

He had promised to have a Butterbeer with Oliver Wood the next Hogsmeade visit. What he forgot was that he had to talk to Wood in the first place. Running a hand through his hair irritably, Cedric strode out to the Quidditch pitch where the Gryffindors were practicing. He squinted up at the skies, looking for Wood. Taking a deep breath, Cedric bellowed, "OY, WOOD!"

That definitely got some attention. One of the Weasley twins yelled at Oliver. The Gryffindor Quidditch captain detached himself from his team and flew down. "Need something, Diggory?" Oliver asked indifferently. There was definitely something about Wood that Cedric did not like. He was unsure of what it was but focused on the thought of Ashlyn.

"Want to…" Cedric swallowed; his throat dry, "get a Butterbeer the next Hogsmeade meeting?" Oliver raised his eyebrows.

"Are you…" Oliver bit back a grin, "asking me out?" Oliver relished the possible irony that Diggory was probably not what he turned out to be.

"For Ashlyn," Cedric snapped back. Oliver grew confused. Cedric explained, "She doesn't like the both of us hostile towards each other. And she asked me to have a Butterbeer with…you…" Cedric said haltingly, definitely wishing he did not agree to the insanity he promised Ashlyn. Digging his heel hard into the ground; Cedric made himself look challengingly at Wood. "Well?"

Oliver regarded the Hufflepuff in front of him. He could not help but be amused at the thought of Ashlyn requesting for Diggory to be 'friends' with him. "And you agreed," Oliver said; the statement barely a question. "Why would you do that when you know we hate each other?" Oliver asked matter-of-factly.

Cedric shrugged, "I was never known to have much sense," He glanced at Oliver at the corner of his eye. Oliver found a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Realizing what was happening, Oliver smoothed his features. "And besides," Cedric added as an afterthought, "Ashlyn can be quite good at persuasion."

Oliver scowled. He was beginning to think Diggory was a decent bloke. Throwing that thought out of his head, Oliver calmed himself down. "That's nice to know," Oliver said coldly. Sensing the tone in Oliver's tone, Cedric immediately recognized his mistake. Not bothering to rectify his slip of the tongue, Cedric stared right back at Oliver; nearly daring the older student to object.

"I'm doing this only for Ashlyn," Cedric said quietly as he stuck out his hand. Oliver glanced distastefully at Cedric's hand but thought of Ashlyn. To see a smile on her face meant the world to him. Oliver exhaled slowly and stretched out his own hand. The two shook hands perfunctorily.

"For Ashlyn," Oliver agreed.

* * *

Cedric strode down the corridor towards Ashlyn who was talking to Jeremy Stretton, the Ravenclaw Chaser. He had been walking around the castle for ages and barely spared a thought for the rumored monster roaming the school attacking Muggle borns. Politely interrupting their conversation, Cedric steered Ashlyn away. Silently raging at the possibility that Wood might think he was gay; Cedric led Ashlyn to a deserted corridor. "So you asked Oliver to the next Hogsmeade visit?" Ashlyn asked brightly. Cedric winced at the phrasing of the question.

"Never," Cedric pinned Ashlyn to the wall, "tell me to do that again," He breathed. "Ever," He noticed how intoxicating the smell of her hair was; more than usual. Ashlyn smiled, laughter bubbling inside of her. "Wood probably thinks I'm gay," Cedric complained. Unable to hold it in, Ashlyn erupted into a fit of giggles much to Cedric's dissatisfaction.

"S-sorry," Ashlyn stuttered through her stifled giggles at Cedric's mutinous look. Swallowing her laughter, Ashlyn quickly kissed Cedric to appease him. "Thank you," She whispered after she pulled away momentarily. "It means a lot to me-"

"Yeah…?" A smile lifted one corner of Cedric's mouth. "It'll cost you…" His lips dropped onto her neck, pressing hotly on her skin. Ashlyn tilted her head to the side to allow Cedric more excess. She exhaled shakily as his kisses traveled up to her ear. "Quite a price actually…" Cedric murmured into her ear. Ashlyn's lower lip trembled with anticipation. "Think you're up to it?" Cedric raised his eyebrow.

"Try me," was all Ashlyn said. And it was all it took for Cedric to seize her and kiss her hard. Gasping at his passion, Ashlyn felt a sudden thrill run through her. It was not of fear; she knew Cedric to be a gentleman, he would know when to stop. Cedric's hands slid into her robes, under her sweater where his fingers played with the soft cotton of her shirt. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Ashlyn balanced precariously on the tip of her toes as she returned Cedric's kisses. Pulling apart to take a breath, she let out a soft moan as his lips moved down her neck; gently nipping, gently teasing…

A crash of books resounded throughout the corridor, making Ashlyn and Cedric look up in alarm. It was Oliver, an unreadable look on his face. It was a mixture of anger, disgust, maybe even a tinge of longing. "Sorry," Oliver muttered darkly as he bent down to pick up his books. Quickly adjusting her clothing, Ashlyn knelt down to help Oliver. As she held out one of his books to him, their gazes drew together. Oliver saw the storm of emotions in her green eyes; willing himself to not do anything rash. Retrieving the book, he mumbled thanks and straightened. Ignoring Diggory, Oliver spun on his heel and stalked off.

Once out of earshot, Oliver swore loudly much to the moving portraits' disapproval. Banging a fist on the wall, Oliver attempted to calm himself down. He remembered what consequences his out-of-control anger could bring for him. Clenching his fists, Oliver stormed up to the Gryffindor Tower. Jealousy, he knew, was hardly a healthy emotion. Practically shouting the password at the Fat Lady, Oliver climbed through the portrait hole to find Angelina and Fred on the couch. "Get a bloody room!" Oliver snarled.

Fred and Angelina pulled apart to look at Oliver. Then they glanced back at each other and seemed to have a silent agreement. "Come and sit here, Oliver," Angelina said in a surprisingly soothing voice as she patted the space between her and Fred.

"Yeah mate," Fred said casually. The whole Quidditch team was accustomed to Oliver's occasional bad moods. "Just keep away from the knives for a while, eh?" Oliver barely cracked a smile at the joke. "Alright, what's the problem?" Fred asked hastily.

Oliver paced in front of the fire, not taking up Angelina's offer on the seat on the couch. He was mumbling to himself furiously which Angelina and Fred was used to; normally, it would be Quidditch plays he would be mumbling about. It was only when Oliver looked up and said with venom in his voice, "Snogging," then Angelina and Fred were at a loss. "They were snogging," He grounded out.

"You mean, Ashlyn and Diggory?" Angelina prompted gently. Oliver's expression twisted as he nodded.

Fred blinked, "It's just snogging, mate…" Angelina shot him a look that read 'Shut up NOW!' Before Fred could realize his mistake, Oliver swelled up; a near imitation of Percy.

"He was touching her-" Oliver hissed, his fists clenched. Angelina quickly rose to her feet.

"Okay, Oliver, breathe," Angelina instructed as she guided Oliver to an armchair. "Try and calm down," Oliver sat down, the wind all out of him. He leaned back and groaned, an arm thrown over his eyes. Biting back a smile, Angelina knelt down at Oliver's side. "What did you see?" Angelina asked.

"Diggory," Oliver's voice was grim, "with Ashlyn; and they were…" Oliver's Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed. "Snogging in the corridor," Oliver grimaced, "He was touching her and I wanted to-"

"Beat him into a bloody pulp?" Fred suggested. Angelina shot him a look but Oliver nodded vigorously.

"Exactly," Oliver agreed. Then he deflated, "But I know I can't because of Ashlyn," The Quidditch captain was at a loss. Banging the back of his head on the armchair, Oliver let out another groan. Angelina and Fred glanced at each other before looking sympathetically at Oliver. Angelina cleared her throat.

"You know you can't do much about it, Oliver," She said gently. "Why don't you have a drink with Ashlyn the next Hogsmeade meeting? Just spend a bit of time with her away with Diggory,"

"Can't," Oliver mumbled. "Diggory asked me to have a drink with him," Lifting his arm, Oliver caught the puzzled looks on Fred and Angelina's face. "Ashlyn made him try and be 'friends'," Oliver explained, "And don't laugh," He said sharply. The smile that was creeping onto Fred's face dropped as he wondered how Oliver could have caught him without looking. "What should I do?" Oliver asked Angelina.

"Honestly…?" Angelina said awkwardly. "I don't think you _can_ do anything."

Oliver sighed heavily, "Brilliant,"

* * *

Oliver dreaded the day of the up-coming Hogsmeade visit. He barely saw Ashlyn ever since that day and whenever he did see her, he would make a quick escape. Subsequently, the day arrived and Oliver was in a dark mood. Pulling on his robes, he exited the Gryffindor common room and went down to the Entrance Hall to meet Diggory. 'For Ashlyn,' Oliver reminded himself. Immediately spotting Diggory waiting at the entrance, Oliver greeted him with a surly look on his face. "Diggory,"

"Wood," Cedric nodded. The two hesitated before walking side-by-side across the courtyard. Conversation was non-existent and they barely glanced at each other in the eye. Soon, the bloke Oliver remembered who bullied Ashlyn approached them.

"Hey, Ced," Alexander said and had the smallest of all take-backs as he noticed Oliver, "Hey," He tilted his chin at Oliver, "Anyway, are you joining us today?" Alexander asked Cedric expectantly.

"No, I'll be getting a drink with Wood," Cedric muttered. At Alexander's questioning look, Cedric explained, "Ashlyn wants us to get along."

"You could just…not do it," Alexander suggested cautiously. "Just tell her that it went brilliantly and she'll drop it." Cedric and Oliver traded looks momentarily. It was no secret they would rather listen to a Mandrake's cry than be seen in each other's company. "She won't be checking up on you two right?" Alexander prompted.

"She said she wouldn't," Cedric said slowly. "I guess we could…" His voice trailed off as he glanced at Oliver.

The Gryffindor Quidditch captain was more than happy to oblige. "Fine by me," Oliver said, striding past Cedric and Alexander. Cedric glanced at Oliver's back before turning to Alexander.

"I owe you," Cedric promised, slapping Alexander's back. The latter grinned broadly and steered Cedric towards his group of friends.

* * *

"You are NOT serious," Raine gasped as she and Ashlyn exited Hogwarts. "You got Diggory and Wood to have a drink together?? They HATE each other!" Raine commented in surprise. The two girls entered Hogsmeade together; getting some girl-time as George was off with Fred and Cedric was with Oliver.

Ashlyn shrugged, "I told Cedric how much it meant to me that he and Oliver get along; so he agreed. And speaking of the two of them," Ashlyn smiled sneakily, "Shall we pop around the Three Broomsticks for a while? Just to have a little look in…"

Raine frowned, "I thought you promised Cedric you wouldn't check up on them?" Ashlyn rolled her eyes.

"But I didn't say anything about looking from the outside in," Ashlyn explained. "It's just a little peek; you know, just to see that they're not at each other's throats…" Raine sighed and shook her head, but relented. The two girls snuck to the window of the Three Broomsticks. They peered in and searched the pub, but they could not see Cedric or Oliver. "Maybe they're further in the pub…" Ashlyn muttered to herself.

"Ah, Ash…?" Raine cleared her throat at her engrossed friend. "Diggory did say the Three Broomsticks, right?"

"Actually that is what I said-" Before Ashlyn could finish her sentence, Raine hauled her behind a large barrel next to them. "Ow, Rae," Ashlyn complained, massaging her wrist, "What was that for?"

"If Wood and Diggory are supposed to be together in the Three Broomsticks," Raine hissed under her breath, "Why did Wood come out of Dervish & Banges alone?"

"Maybe they're meeting later," Ashlyn said; a trace of doubt in her voice. "Shall we follow?" Raine nodded grimly. They checked which direction Oliver went and tailed him. They got strange looks from fellow schoolmates but continued following Oliver anyway. So far, he had been to Zonko's and Scrivenshaft's Quill shop and Ashlyn was beginning to wonder how much time had gone by.

Then Ashlyn caught sight of something and shoved Raine behind the wall. "Okay, now that hurt," Raine gasped; her heart leapt at Ashlyn's sudden push. "What did you see?"

"Cedric is coming out of Honeydukes with his other friends!" Ashlyn exclaimed, a sick twisting in her heart. "They walked past each other and didn't even acknowledge each other!" Raine looked sympathetically at her best friend and guided the confused Ashlyn back to Hogwarts; one wasted Hogsmeade trip.

* * *

Cedric got his story straight: He and Wood got a Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks, talked about the future and that was it. Exhaling slowly, he headed towards the Greenhouses. Cedric had double Herbology, giving him a little breathing room before he met Ashlyn. Surrounded by his friends, Cedric grinned as Edward told a particularly funny joke. He definitely had a good time with his friends in Hogsmeade, but he could not help to wonder how it would have gone with Wood if Alexander had not said a word.

"Cedric," Ashlyn called from behind. He quickly detached himself from the group, kissing her quickly as a greeting. "So…" She glanced up at him, "Want to tell me what happened yesterday?"

Crossing his fingers behind his back, Cedric smoothed his features, "You mean, with Wood? It went…great," He nodded to emphasize his point. Ashlyn's eyebrows shot up.

"…Really?" Ashlyn asked. He detected a note of surprise and doubt in her voice. "You're…serious?"

"Yeah," Cedric injected more conviction into his voice. Ashlyn seemed to be looking at him strangely. _She knows_, he told himself in panic. _Think of something, think of something QUICK_-

"That's…good," Ashlyn finally said, a smile spreading across her face. Slowly, Cedric relaxed. "You have no idea how much that means to me, Cedric," She whispered. He swallowed hard, his palms growing sweaty. Kissing him briefly on the cheek, Ashlyn stepped back. "Listen; meet me at the Black Lake during lunch, alright?" Kissing him again, she hurried away.

Cedric, amazed at his good luck, joined his friends again. In better spirits, Cedric could hardly see what was going to unfold.

* * *

Oliver got his story straight; He and Diggory got a Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks, talked about Quidditch and that was it. Watching the Weasley twins plotting a particularly elaborate prank on Filch, Oliver could not help but grin and shake his head. Because of them, he knew that Ashlyn had or hopefully still has a crush on him. Now all he needed was the perfect moment. However, he knew that perfect moment was nowhere near.

"Hey, Oliver," Ashlyn tapped him on the shoulder. Oliver swung himself around to face her. "How did yesterday go?" She seemed uncertain about what she was saying; he could sense it.

He cleared his throat and braced himself, "Good," He said lightly; short and simple, that way it seemed almost inconspicuous. Ashlyn raised her eyebrow. "Good," He repeated. "Uh, Diggory and I talked…and…" Averting his eyes, Oliver continued, "No problems,"

Ashlyn glanced at him disbelievingly before letting out a short laugh. "I see," Her lips stretched into a grim smile. "That's good to hear, Oliver," She patted his shoulder. "Could you meet me at the Black Late during lunch? Thanks," With that, she was gone. Knowing he probably made one of the biggest mistakes of his life, Oliver could only wait for lunch to come.

It came all too quickly, quicker than Oliver would have liked. As the bell signaled the start of lunch, Oliver made his way out of the castle. When he neared the Black Lake, he caught sight of Diggory's golden brown hair. Quelling the growl that rose to his throat, Oliver approached the Hufflepuff and cleared his throat. Cedric glanced around and got to his feet. "What are you doing here?" Diggory asked curiously.

"I'd ask you the same thing," Oliver shot back. "Ashlyn told me to be here,"

Cedric nodded, unconvinced, "Right," He turned back to face the waters of the Black Lake.

Oliver scowled, "She did-"

"Problem, boys?" Ashlyn's floated from behind. Both boys glanced at Ashlyn who was watching them intently.

"Of course not," Cedric said. "Wood," Cedric nodded shortly at the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain.

"Diggory," Oliver retorted coldly. Ashlyn approached them and motioned the both of them to sit down. She sat between the two boys. It was quiet for a moment before Ashlyn spoke.

"So," She said brightly, "I heard that yesterday was quite a success, wasn't it?" She glanced pointedly at Cedric and Oliver both in turn. They grunted in reply, both shifting uncomfortably. "Oh come on," Ashlyn let out a short laugh which sounded unnatural and sarcastic. "The both of you told me it went great; or at least, Cedric said it was great, Oliver said it was good." Ashlyn amended her statement. "What did you guys talk about?"

"Quidditch," Oliver said.

"The future," Cedric said, at the same time as Oliver. The two boys glanced at each other hurriedly. "As in," Cedric coughed. "We talked about Quidditch and the future."

Ashlyn was nodding slowly, as if she had caught on. "So…what about the future did you two talk about? Like what you would do after graduating from Hogwarts?" Oliver and Cedric nodded quickly. "I see…Then, what Quidditch team does Oliver want to join after Hogwarts?" Ashlyn asked Cedric. Completely caught off-guard, Cedric hesitated. Oliver was also at a loss; how on Earth was he going to sign _Puddlemere United_?

"…England?" Cedric said; a single note of doubt in his tone.

"Right," Oliver blurted out. "That is ultimately where I hope to end up," Oliver mumbled; another lie slipping from his tongue. Ashlyn's eyes flashed for a second before turning to Oliver.

"Then what does Cedric want to do in the Ministry of Magic after graduation?" Ashlyn asked coolly. Oliver's jaw dropped; he barely knew all the Departments of the Ministry, only well-versed with the happenings of the Department of Magical Games and Sport thanks to his father.

"…Become the Minister of Magic?" Oliver suggested.

"Eventually," Cedric intervened; Ashlyn glanced at him sharply. "Minister of Magic sounds tempting enough,"

Ashlyn glanced at both boys in disbelief. They were still deliberately lying to her. Shaking her head, Ashlyn tilted her head towards the sky; her tongue pressed to her teeth in frustration. "For your information," She said icily, "Cedric plans on getting into the Department of Magical Law Enforcement of the Ministry- He is unsure of which section but he wants to be in that particular Department." Ashlyn snapped at Oliver. "And you," Her head whipped to face Cedric, "Oliver wants to get into Puddlemere United and if he does want to enter an International Quidditch team, it would most probably be Scotland!"

Both boys could barely anticipate her next move. Ashlyn slapped the back of Cedric's head, "That is for flat-out lying to me," She grounded out. Then she slapped the back of Oliver's head, "That was for trying to COVER UP each other's lie!" And to drive her final point home, she whacked both of their head's at the same time, "And this is for being the two biggest GITS in Hogwarts!"

With that, Ashlyn scrambled to her feet and made her way back to Hogwarts; leaving Oliver and Cedric united in their guilt.

* * *

Was that a little too fast?

Oh well.

So how was that? Hoped you liked it. So start the fire and let's get cracking.

Haha you two hit the nail right on the head, **rukia23** and **Toolazytologin**! Now Ashlyn's pretty mad at both Cedric and Oliver; sorry for making her mad at Oliver all over again though. But she's more mad at Cedric than Oliver; you will see in the next chapter. Haha thanks for the one-liner compliment, **ScarletRoseX**! I do not have one-liners stored in my head, but I do try. After all, this is a Romance/Humor fic and I really hope to insert more amusing parts. Hope you liked the chapter, **OceanSapphire**; since Cedric has fallen a little out of Ashlyn's favor. But I promise: Oliver/Ashlyn will come up SOON. I mean of course it will; that's what this fic is about! I shall go bang my head on the wall now...

Okay, I'll admit it: I am a sucker for cliches. I am. As in, I hate those 'step-into-a-room-and-see-your-boyfriend-cheating-on-you' cliches, but I will admit; Life will be nothing without stupid cliches. Rest assured; I will not have so much cliche moments like the one stated above. However, whenever I do put silly cliched lines like the one** StarletSpotlight** pointed out; I'm sorry! I find it a BIT romantic. Yes, it makes you want to cringe and yelp in agony so I am trulyyyyy sorry.

Oh please do reviews from the start, **Ami-Weasley**! It would mean a lot if you review starting from the first chapter! It does not matter if you have a lot to say; the more the better! So please, please reconsider and review from the start alright? Hmm what do you mean by a Weasley creation, **williammoseleysgirl**? You want them to screw what up? Although they have already sort of done that...you'll see! But anything you would like to see them do specifically?

Okay please leave a review! New reviewers: please try and review the previous chapters as well!


	11. Chapter 11: Doubt

This chapter way overdue. I am SO sorry! A Happy Valentine's Day to all you guys out there. I don't know what happened to me but this chapter was so hard to write. But here it is! A HUGE thanks to my reviewers; **Lift the Wings**, **StarletSpotlight**, **jess**, **OceanSapphire**, **rukia23**, **Hurricane Rachel**, **stars**, **Ami-Weasley**, **KristyT23**, **MainlyMaddison**, **Toolazytologin**, **williammoseleysgirl** and **Kopycat**. You guys are the LOVE. Really. I hope I don't disappoint with this chapter. Sorry for taking so long with it.

On with Chapter Eleven!

* * *

Ashlyn barely spoke to Oliver and Cedric since that day. It was easy to avoid Oliver; it took much more effort and willpower to stay away from Cedric who was probably in more than half her classes. Raine was supportive; sitting next to her whenever they had classes with Hufflepuff. Even during Defence against the Dark Arts, she would sit in front with Raine. Listless, she doodled idly on her parchment as Lockhart launched into one of his 'Lockhart's Greatest Moments'.

All of a sudden, a paper aeroplane flew gracefully onto her desk; uncannily like the "Inter-departmental memos" in the Ministry that her father told her about. Intrigued, Ashlyn unfolded the parchment. It bore just two words: _I'm sorry._

Ashlyn hesitated before crumpling the parchment. She then sunk back to her stupor; her head supported by her left hand. Several other paper aeroplanes landed on her desk but she brushed them all away; barely granting the courtesy of opening them. Instead, she buried her head in her arms and let another paper aeroplane soar onto her desk. "He is not giving up, you know," Raine said conversationally as a paper aeroplane flew past her shoulder.

Ashlyn turned her head to face Raine. "You don't understand," She muttered. Taking one paper aeroplane, Ashlyn dangled it between her fingers before letting it fall back onto her desk. "Written words mean nothing," Raine nodded understandingly. As Ashlyn covered her face again, Raine glanced over at Cedric who was sitting diagonally across the classroom. She shook her head and mouthed: _No go_.

Still, Cedric stubbornly continued bewitching paper aeroplanes to fly across the room to Ashlyn's desk; paper aeroplanes bearing the same two words. Thankfully, Lockhart was too engrossed in one of his re-enactments and did not notice any of the stray aeroplanes. The rest of the class became interested in Cedric's aeroplanes and eventually learnt of the tension between the 'Golden' couple. Damon, Cedric's friend, glanced sympathetically at his vexed partner. "You are impossible," Damon sighed and plucked Cedric's wand from his hand. "She's not going to read them,"

"It's worth a try," Cedric said, holding his hand out for his wand.

"You are bordering on desperate," Damon shot back smartly. "Pay attention to Lockhart-" Damon caught the look on Cedric's face, "Anything else besides Lockhart and Ashlyn," Damon amended hastily. "You're distracting the rest anyway," Damon titled his chin at another Ravenclaw girl who was glancing at Cedric hopefully for a note. Glancing down at his desk in embarrassment, Cedric rubbed the back of his head; avoiding eye contact. "Anyway, that will teach you to listen to Alexander," Damon said stiffly. "Honestly, what were you thinking; taking Alexander's advice? You know you would probably get better advice from a house-elf who has had one too many Butterbeers."

Cedric had to grin at that. His eyes fell back on Ashlyn, willing her to glance at him. He had not be able to look her in the eye since that day, had not been able to allow the apple scent lingering in her hair to invade his senses. Cedric knew he had to get her attention, just for a while. Snatching his wand back from Damon, Cedric scribbled the same two words on another piece of parchment and bewitched it into an aeroplane.

The aeroplane soared across the classroom and collided head-on with the back of Ashlyn's head. The rest of the class inhaled sharply as they wondered how she would react. Her hands slowly clenched into fists.

Precisely at that moment, the bell rang. Ashlyn yanked out her wand and muttered, "_Evanesco_," The paper aeroplanes littering her desk vanished and she stalked out of the classroom, leaving one disappointed Hufflepuff behind.

* * *

"…Oliver Wood?" A pompous-sounding voice belonging to Ernie Macmillan came behind from the Gryffindor Quidditch captain. Oliver turned and the Hufflepuff second year held out a small roll of parchment. Taking it curiously, Oliver unrolled the scroll as Ernie made himself scarce.

"Who is it from?" Angelina asked with interest. The Gryffindor Quidditch team, minus Harry, was spending time together out at the courtyard after their lunch. Oliver snorted as he finished reading the message.

"It's Diggory," Oliver muttered, tucking the parchment into his robes.

"Got little second years doing his bidding now, eh?" Fred sneered.

"What does _he_ want?" Alicia demanded; her face scrunched up.

"Wants to meet me," Oliver sighed, hoisting his bag onto his shoulder. Everyone glanced disbelievingly at their captain. "What?" He said affronted.

"You're not serious about going, right?" Katie said. "I mean," She glanced at Angelina and Alicia for help. "This IS Diggory we're talking about." Noises of agreement greeted Katie's statement. Oliver rolled his eyes and turned his back on them. "Good luck!" They called after him. Shaking his head slightly, Oliver strode towards the Black Lake where the Hufflepuff Seeker was waiting.

"Well?" Cedric said as he heard Oliver approach. "Any luck?"

"None," Oliver replied simply.

"She's avoiding me," Cedric said as he glanced out at the Black Lake.

"That makes the both of us," Oliver said grimly. Both boys grinned tightly at the irony of the situation. "So what are you planning on doing?"

Cedric shrugged, "Try and make her look at me?" Oliver let out a short laugh, nodding slowly in agreement. "To think we would be talking now," Cedric mused. "If only Ashlyn could see us-"

"No need to wait so long," Oliver said. Cedric looked up and saw Oliver glancing behind his shoulder. Following his line of sight, Cedric saw Ashlyn and her Housemates walking along the path towards Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures. Ashlyn caught Oliver's eye and turned away, her face flaming. "Listen," Oliver spoke, "I think it's best if I apologize to her first,"

Cedric glanced questioningly at Oliver but eventually nodded. Oliver clapped a hand on Cedric's shoulder and left to return to the castle.

* * *

"I need help," Ashlyn groaned as she flopped onto her bed. It was the end of the day and she was exhausted.

"No kidding," Raine murmured, flipping through Witch Weekly, "You need SERIOUS help…" Blinking, Raine looked up to meet Ashlyn's glare. "Did I say that out loud?" Groaning even louder, Ashlyn fell back down on her pillow, muttering about finding a new best friend. "Alright, alright," Raine closed her magazine, "What's wrong now?"

"Midlife crisis…?" Cara Davis prompted, sitting on her bed which was across Ashlyn's.

"You're making me sound old," Ashlyn complained as two more girls entered the dormitory. Ella Shaw and Kelsey Harris were Ashlyn's other two roommates.

"But you ARE old," Kelsey teased.

"Oh yeah, laugh it up you lot," Ashlyn scowled. "Don't mind me while I take out my wand and hex all of you."

"You really ARE in a bad mood today," Ella commented as she threw her books down. "What's wrong? Don't you have the delectable Mr Cedric Diggory to make you feel better?" Ella said in a sing-song voice. Ashlyn mumbled incoherently in her pillow which she hugged to her chest. "Hmm…? Do I sense a little trouble in paradise?"

"Just a small problem…" Ashlyn kept the details to herself; it was not in her character to start spilling all her problems to others. "I just want to avoid him for a while…"

"I think you should make the both of them sweat for a bit," Cara suggested. "I recall seeing something in Witch Weekly." Summoning Raine's copy, Cara flipped through the pages and she let out a cry of triumph. "Here," She read the article aloud, "Three ways to make him jealous;" Cara grinned at Ashlyn. "Number one: Have fun,"

Raine nodded at Ashlyn, "Makes sense; it shows that you have a life besides the one you have with him."

Cara nodded, "Exactly. Anyway, number two: Turn yourself to become more attractive to others,"

"Personally, I like that approach," Ella piped up. "Makes him see what he's missing out,"

"Are you sure you did not mix it up with number three: Date someone else?" Cara shot back jokingly. They laughed at Ella who huffed in reply. "Okay, serious this time," Cara placed the magazine down. "What do _you_ think?"

"I'm not changing anything about myself, mind," Ashlyn deadpanned. "I think I'll go with number one."

"You're not fun," Ella commented, "I was ready to plan a total makeover; but since you're not going to be compliant…"

"I'm not changing anything," Ashlyn remained adamant. "Plus, I'm not the type to go off with another bloke while I'm still with one."

Raine grinned at her best friend. "Maybe you should spend more time with the Ravenclaw Quidditch team; with Jeremy-"

"OH! Roger Davies!!" Kelsey cried. Waving aside everyone else's strange looks directed at her, Kelsey explained, "What I meant is, be seen more with Davies; that ought to get their attention. Think about it, both are Quidditch players-"

"Right," Ashlyn interrupted. "Got it,"

* * *

Oliver was frustrated. He had been trying to corner Ashlyn on numerous occasions but she just seemed to be surrounded every time he saw her. She was smiling and laughing without a care in the world; like nothing happened. Oliver knew better as he watched in frustration directly across the courtyard. Ashlyn was in the company of her Quidditch team and they were laughing uproariously at something Davies just said.

Steeling himself, Oliver started across the courtyard and stopped in front of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. He cleared his throat which earned him the attention. "I need to speak to you," He said, directly at Ashlyn.

"I'm busy," She said offhandedly, barely looking at him in the eye.

Oliver swallowed grimly, "Please…?" He added softly, his cheeks flushing. He could have sworn he saw a slight smile tugging on Davies's face. Digging his fingernails into his palm, Oliver waited. Ashlyn finally regarded him for a moment before getting to her feet. He let her lead him all the way to the Black Lake. The atmosphere was still, serene; unlike the situation Oliver was in. "Ash-"

"What do you want?" Ashlyn snapped, the weight settling on the pit of her stomach. Schooling herself back to calm, Ashlyn said in a much more cool tone, "What is it? Must I steal Veritaserum for this?" Sarcasm layered her words. Oliver winced as he got the message.

"I can't believe I have to apologize to you twice this term," Oliver said. He watched as Ashlyn attempted to fight down a smile from appearing.

"That's your own bloody fault," Ashlyn muttered, her arms crossed.

Oliver felt his lips stretch into a grim smile. "I'm sorry," He said. Glancing at him for a while, Ashlyn let out a huge sigh and sank onto the ground. It was quiet for a moment before Ashlyn spoke.

"It's not an apology I'm looking for," Ashlyn finally confessed. Oliver sat down next to her in confusion.

"…It's not?" Oliver said in disbelief.

"It's not," Ashlyn affirmed, "And frankly, I don't know what I'm looking for, Oliver," She looked at him and let out a short laugh, "Stupid, I know. I just…" She faltered, "I don't know. I thought it would work out; you and Cedric becoming friends. But when I found out that the two of you lied, something inside of me just made peace with it. I was mad at the start, but somehow, it's like I'm just reminding myself to remain mad at you and Cedric," Ashlyn said. "Is that stupid?"

Oliver was at a loss. He no stranger to Ashlyn's rants but he was stumped. Slowly, he understood and started to laugh. "Miss Spencer," He slung an arm around her shoulders, "Are you saying that I apologized to you for nothing?" Ashlyn rolled her eyes and shoved Oliver jokingly.

"Don't push it, Wood," She said coolly. "I _was_ mad at you," But she rested her head on his shoulder. "God, I'm so confused. One part of me does not want to forgive Cedric so easily but the other half misses him so much," She murmured. The smile on Oliver's face slid off slowly. His grip on her shoulder tightened just by a bit. "Every time I feel like I'm ready to forgive him, something pulls me back and I begin to doubt all that he said before." Ashlyn glanced at Oliver anxiously, "What do you think I should do?"

'Ditch Diggory,' Oliver thought immediately. But then an all-too-consuming guilt washed over him. "You really like him then?" Oliver asked. Ashlyn pulled herself out of Oliver's grip, her expression incredulous.

"Of course I do," Ashlyn said quietly. "Cedric means a lot to me, Oliver," She plucked a blade of glass from the ground and slowly shredded it; an old habit of hers. "So what should I do?"

Oliver sighed gustily, "I think," He hesitated, "You should do what you think is right," Dread welled up inside of the Gryffindor Quidditch captain. He wondered why it felt like he was letting go of any possibility of him and Ashlyn being together; or maybe he WAS giving up. Shaking his head to clear his head, Oliver found himself locked in Ashlyn's embrace; her arms wrapped around his neck. "W-what-" He sputtered.

"Thank you," She said breathily in his ear. Pulling himself together, Oliver encircled his arms around Ashlyn's waist; trying to ignore the monster stirring inside of him.

* * *

Cedric knew he had to act.

He did not know what to say exactly but he had Herbology to think about it. Ashlyn was still not acknowledging him; while at least she would look at him now. He knew he was given an opportunity when Ashlyn happened to leave her Arithmancy textbook behind after breakfast. Taking the book, Cedric flipped through the pages and arrived at the notes page at the back. There was his name doodled idly along the margin several times.

It was just his name, but it made all the difference to the Hufflepuff.

Tucking the book under his arm, Cedric made his way towards Professor Vector's classroom. Just as he rounded the corner, he nearly collided with Ashlyn herself; a stricken look on her face. "S-sorry," She blurted out. Faces flushed, Ashlyn quickly excused herself and bent her head to leave.

"Wait!" Cedric lunged forward and caught Ashlyn's arm. "You must be looking for this," He produced the Arithmancy textbook. Ashlyn's eyes widened as she snatched it back, her face turning pink. "Listen," He lowered his voice as a group of Ravenclaws went by, looking at the two of them with interest as if expecting a quarrel. "I need to talk to you." Cedric watched as Ashlyn arms hugged the Arithmancy textbook to her chest.

"But I-"

"Ashlyn, you can't avoid me forever," He said in quiet exasperation. He took a step closer to her.

Ashlyn felt trapped; she wanted to forgive Cedric but her insecurities continued to haunt her. Biting her lower lip, Ashlyn mulled it over. "Alright," She caved, "Where do I meet you?"

A broad smile crossed Cedric's face. "The Black Lake," He said. Ashlyn nodded hesitantly before turning to make her way to Professor Vector's classroom. Feeling an overwhelming sense of calm, Cedric detoured to head towards the Greenhouses. He had his chance and was not going to waste it.

He impatiently waited for lunch to arrive. And as it did, he strode quickly towards the familiar spot he would always spend numerous lunches with Ashlyn. She was not there yet and a little disappointment welled up inside of Cedric. Taking a seat on a large rock at the edge of the lake, Cedric forced himself to wait patiently. "…Cedric?" Her voice floated from behind him.

He got to his feet immediately. "Hey," He shoved his hands into his pockets. "How are you?" He asked lamely.

Ashlyn raised her eyebrow and let a small smile tug at the corner of her mouth, "I'm well," She said simply.

"That's…good," Cedric replied. Inhaling deeply, he moved in front of Ashlyn. Taking her hand, he gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "I'm really sorry," He murmured. "I shouldn't have lied to you. And with the past few days, I guess…" Cedric took in a deep breath, "Wood isn't so bad…"

Ashlyn had to smile at that. "Really…?" She pressed cautiously.

Cedric grinned, "Yeah," He said softly.

Ashlyn's smile then slowly faded, "But you lied, Cedric," She said flatly, pulling her hand away from his, "How can I be sure that what you've said to me before is all true?"

"It was just one little white lie, Ash," Cedric argued.

"But you did it so smoothly, like you've been doing so all this time!" Ashlyn pointed out, her cheeks flushed.

"Ashlyn," Cedric took her wrist, "I can't undo my mistake; but you have to trust me," He said quietly. "I meant every single word before this mess." He swore, tilting Ashlyn's chin up. "Believe me," He murmured. Ashlyn looked at Cedric; something clicked in her head. She involuntarily let out a gasp and took a step back. Cedric's brow furrowed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Ashlyn quickly said. She shook her head lightly before looking back at the confused Hufflepuff. "Do _you_ trust me?" Ashlyn asked.

Cedric blinked before a small smile rested on his face. "With all my heart," He said softly. Letting herself into Cedric's embrace, Ashlyn wrapped her arms around his neck. She would not trust herself if she could. This was because for a moment instead of seeing Cedric's grey eyes, Ashlyn found herself thinking of the soulful brown eyes belonging to a certain Gryffindor Quidditch Captain.

* * *

How was that? Hope you guys liked that!

So now, Oliver's thinking of Ashlyn and Ashlyn's thinking of Oliver! I think that will do for now, right? But rest assured, HUGE Oliver/Ashlyn moment coming up.

Just a extra THANKS to **stars** and **KristyT23** for reviewing from the first chapter onwards. You two are really great for taking the time to review every chapter. It means a lot to me. So please do try and review from the start, **Ami-Weasley**! I'm glad to see how many of you liked Ashlyn whacking both their heads; I liked that part as well. I could actually envision it in my head. And I'm sure some of you would ask me: Why make Ashlyn forgive them so easily? Well, it's Valentine's Day! She can't stay mad at them forever; it was just one little lie. Thanks for the suggestion though, **williammoseleysgirl**. Do continue to tell me your other evil plans; I might use them! Credit will be given to you of course.

Good luck on your Cedric/OC fic, **MainlyMaddison**! Speaking of new fics, my new Oliver/Daphne Greengrass fic is out. Please do go and check it out. So far it's got two reviews and I crave for more. You guys know me, I'm sure. I live on reviews. If there aren't many, I don't get the energy to update. So please do go, read then review. Hope you guys will like it!

Please review. You would be doing your good deed of the day.


	12. Chapter 12: The Right Moment

I knew I had to get this chapter out as fast as I could because it would be a tiny way to thank all my reviewers who, I will stress again, are the best people in the whole world. A billion thanks each to **rukia23** (I love you too), **ScarletRoseX**, **Lotti6369**, **HeeHeeHee01**, **williammoseleysgirl** (EVIL!), **Jess**, **OceanSapphire** (Evil Number Two), **Hurricane Rachel**, **Ami-Weasley** (THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!), **Lift the Wings**, **KristyT23** and last but not least, **Toolazytologin**. Cheers.

On with Chapter Twelve!

* * *

The only thing Oliver could do to get his mind off a particular Ravenclaw was Quidditch.

Unfortunately, the next match was between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Sensing Oliver's desperate need to win that match, the Gryffindor team worked harder than ever and hardly complained when Oliver set extra laps or practice. For that, Oliver was grateful and in a much better mood than usual. "Oliver!" Angelina's yell broke Oliver's train of thought. He ducked just in time to avoid a Bludger.

"Blimey, Wood," Fred braked in front of his captain. "I thought you saw it coming; my bad," Oliver clipped the back of Fred's head jokingly and the two boys resumed practice. As he watched his team practice, Oliver could not help but let a smile onto his face. He was proud of his team; all of them. A sharp whistle sounded throughout the stadium. Blinking, Oliver looked down and saw Ashlyn standing in the middle of the pitch.

Curious, he directed his broom to the ground and dismounted. Ashlyn was holding a basket and an uncertain smile on her face. "I take it you and your team has not had lunch yet," She lifted the basket lightly. "Just thought-"

"Make way!" Before Ashlyn could finish her sentence, George zoomed past her on his broom; struggling with a Bludger. Oliver hurried to open the trunk where George strapped the Bludger in. Harry smiled shyly at Ashlyn as he deposited the Golden Snitch back to its compartment. Fred burst through, wrestling with the other Bludger.

"Hello, Ash," Angelina patted Ashlyn's shoulder as she bent down to put down the Quaffle. "Is that lunch?"

"Thanks a lot, mate!" Fred seized the basket after he straightened; the Bludger back in its place. "Mind cleaning up here alone, Wood? Cheers," The Gryffindor team immediately left, led by a jaunty Fred. Ashlyn recovered faster than Oliver, letting out a small laugh. Seeing through his team's intentions, Oliver chuckled awkwardly.

"I haven't even dismissed them yet," Oliver bristled. "And besides, I'm not hungry," He said. Unfortunately, his stomach betrayed him by growling loudly. Ashlyn crossed her arms and tapped her fingers on her mouth thoughtfully. "Uh I didn't realize how hungry…" Oliver let his voice trail off.

Ashlyn sighed and pulled a paper bag out of her bag, "You seriously think I didn't plan properly?" She gave him a look so much like McGonagall that Oliver had to snicker. "It's sandwiches, just to tide you over until dinner."

"What was in the basket then?" Oliver's stomach growled even louder than before as he carried the trunk. Ashlyn strode next to him as they made their way to Madam Hooch's office.

"Just some food the house-elves put together," Ashlyn shrugged. "I knew they would go for the basket, so I told them to pack the sandwiches separately."

"You mean we're not going to join them?" Oliver raised his eyebrow, "Merlin, Spencer," He hid a smile, "Thinking of shagging me once we're alone?" He wriggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.

Ashlyn sneered elegantly at him, "You only wish, Wood," After returning the crate of Quidditch balls, Ashlyn and Oliver headed to the courtyard. Taking a seat on the steps, Ashlyn passed the paper bag to Oliver and watched as he dug into the sandwiches.

"So what do you want to talk to me about?" Oliver asked as he took a bite out of one sandwich.

"What makes you think I have something to talk to you about?" Ashlyn said curiously. Sure, she had something to say to him; but she wondered how he knew. Oliver rolled his eyes as he swallowed.

"Because I know you," Oliver replied thickly. Ashlyn raised her eyebrow. "I'm serious," He shrugged, "I can tell," Ashlyn smiled secretly at her knees; not knowing that Oliver himself was watching her. He placed down the food and leaned back.

"Something about Diggory…?" Oliver pressed.

"Nope," Ashlyn said shortly. She twisted her fingers together nervously before speaking, "Do you like someone, Oliver?"

Oliver choked on his next bite.

He coughed violently, banging his fist to his chest. Ashlyn thumped his back hard for good measure. Gasping for air, Oliver mentally smacked himself for his less-than-sophisticated reaction. Ashlyn was giggling to herself quietly as she patted Oliver's back. "Not funny," Oliver grimaced.

"It was," Ashlyn shot back, smiling knowingly. "Anyway," She cleared her throat, "Do you like anyone at the present moment?"

"What's in it for me?" Oliver replied with a question of his own. Ashlyn rolled her eyes.

"It's just a question, Oliver," Ashlyn said. "I guess you don't have to answer if you don't want to-"

"I do," Oliver blurted out, "As in," He corrected himself, "I do like someone in fact," He avoided Ashlyn's gaze.

"I see," Ashlyn smiled weakly as she looked down at her knees. She scolded herself for expecting Oliver to remain the same; he was bound to eventually be interested in a relationship with someone else. "That's good," She finally said. Now, she was the one lying.

"Eh, do you know Percy's seeing someone?" Oliver grappled for some sort of conversation. Percy was going to kill him if he found out Oliver told Ashlyn. But this was Ashlyn; Oliver did not even spare a thought about Percy. Maybe a little thought but he was desperate here! He relaxed when Ashlyn looked up in surprise. "Him and that sixth year Ravenclaw Prefect-"

"Penelope Clearwater…?" Ashlyn exclaimed. "Who would have thought-?" Ashlyn laughed, "Now, even Percy's beat you to it," She teased.

Oliver let out a small laugh, "Maybe I'm just waiting for the right time," He said, looking straight at Ashlyn. Right then, Oliver Wood knew the right time was about to arrive.

* * *

Soon, the Gryffindor – Hufflepuff match came. It definitely took a lot of tension off Hogwarts. Ashlyn headed to the Hufflepuff table to wish Cedric luck. "Hey," She kissed his cheek as a greeting. "Eat something, will you?" Grinning, Cedric reached for a plate of sausages. "Are you ready?" Ashlyn slipped her hand into Cedric's.

"If ready means nervous as hell, then sure," Cedric muttered. Smiling, Ashlyn squeezed his palm gently.

"You'll be fine," She reassured.

Two House tables down, Oliver Wood was enjoying his breakfast. The day was bright and there was a refreshing breeze; perfect Quidditch conditions. He was confident of Gryffindor's chances and nothing could bring his spirits down. Well, almost nothing could bring his spirits down. He spotted Ashlyn with Diggory; not that he was surprised, he was disappointed. "Remember to knock Diggory off his broom," Oliver placed his hands on Fred and George's shoulders.

The Weasley twins took one look at Oliver and chorused, "With pleasure," Thumping them on the back gratefully, Oliver finished his breakfast. When it neared eleven, Oliver led his team to the changing rooms to put on their Quidditch robes.

Ashlyn followed the crowd to the Quidditch pitch, feeling troubled. She hated being torn in two directions. Hufflepuff had Cedric, Gryffindor had Oliver. "Don't you hate these types of matches?" Raine read Ashlyn's mind, smiling knowingly. Ashlyn shook her head in amusement and turned her attention to the pitch. Oliver took his team for a warm-up flight while the Hufflepuff team stood in a huddle, discussing tactics.

But then, Professor McGonagall's voice echoed throughout the stadium, "This match has been cancelled. All students are to make their way back to the house common rooms, where their Head of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!" Ashlyn spotted Oliver looking devastated, skidding off his broomstick towards McGonagall.

Carried by the river of students, the next thing Ashlyn knew she was back in the Ravenclaw Tower and Professor Flitwick was speaking. "All students will return to their house common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matched are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."

The Ravenclaw Tower was all abuzz once Professor Flitwick tottered out of the common room. "Poor Penelope," Kelsey said, her face streaked with tears. "She could have been killed!"

"Thank goodness she did not," Ashlyn said, rubbing her forehead tiredly. The news of Penelope getting petrified shocked the entire Ravenclaw House. United, the Ravenclaws were worried about their fellow Housemate. Ashlyn could only wonder how Percy was taking the news.

"Can't they just chuck all the Slytherins out?" Jeremy Stretton called out. Various noises of agreement greeted his words. "After all, only Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws have been attacked; haven't the teachers realized that all the Slytherins are unharmed?"

A chorus of 'Yeah' answered Jeremy's words. But things did not get any better; the next morning, Professor McGonagall had informed the school that Professor Dumbledore had been suspended by the school governors for failing to stop the attacks.

Due to the new rules, Ashlyn barely got the chance to see Cedric, let alone Oliver. The tension in the castle got so thick that the weather paralleled the fear and suspicion in Hogwarts. Occasional storms, rare in summer, often brewed near the castle. One day, a harsh storm hit Hogwarts. It was near curfew and Ashlyn was walking back up to the Ravenclaw Tower when Angelina and Alicia came running towards her.

"There you are," Alicia panted as she bent down to work out the knot of muscle at her side. Ashlyn blinked questioningly at Angelina who recovered faster than Alicia.

"Oliver's been a mess lately," Angelina said quickly. "We've been trying to get through to him but it isn't working,"

"You have to talk to him," Alicia chimed in. "He doesn't listen to anyone except you,"

Ashlyn's face burned, "That's rubbish; he listens to Angelina, he listens to Fred and George, he listens to Percy-" Angelina laughed sarcastically at Ashlyn's protests.

"Percy? As if," Angelina waved Ashlyn's words away. "You are the next person who can talk to him."

Ashlyn looked disbelievingly at the two Gryffindor Chasers before caving in. "Alright, where is he?" She glanced at her watch. She had fifteen minutes until she had to get back to the Ravenclaw Tower. She would resort to the Levitation Charm if she had to.

Angelina hesitated, "He's at the Quidditch pitch."

"Fine," Ashlyn started up the stairs until she stopped short. "Wait a minute…" Angelina and Alicia exchanged uncomfortable glances as it slowly hit Ashlyn. "You're not serious," Angelina winced as she noted the change in Ashlyn's tone. "It's a STORM out there!" Ashlyn cried. "Don't tell me he's out there where the LIGHTENING AND THUNDER-"

"He's out there," Alicia interrupted Ashlyn's little tirade. "Will you do it?"

* * *

Ashlyn soon found herself holding an umbrella and hurrying to the Quidditch pitch, avoiding various puddles and flinching with every strike of lightening. With the strong winds, Ashlyn found every inch of her drenched by the time she entered the stadium. There he was, seated right in the middle of the pitch. "Hey!" She yelled above the howling wind.

Oliver looked round when he thought he heard a voice. It was not his imagination; it was Ashlyn. Warmth gushed up inside of him as she neared him; she was soaked through and through, her dark red hair plastered to her face. Still he found her absolutely beautiful. "You do know that is useless," He nodded at her umbrella.

Ashlyn could not help but laugh. Maybe it was the rain that washed her sanity away. Letting go of the umbrella, she and Oliver watched it get carried away by the wind. Taking a seat next to him, she arranged her face to look serious. "We've got five minutes to get back to our common rooms."

"Keep it up and you may become Prefect next term," Oliver drawled.

Ashlyn ignored him, "Care to tell me _why_ the both of us are here?" She was shivering now; her robes heavy on her shoulders. Oliver titled his face up to the sky and let the raindrops fall onto his skin.

"I'm here to drown my sorrows and you're here because you love me," Oliver said. Feeling a blush rise to her face, Ashlyn hoped it was too dark to tell.

"Even I have my limits, Wood," Ashlyn plucked at her soaked robes, "And this is definitely overboard," Looking at the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, Ashlyn understood, "It's not your fault, Oliver," She said as the storm raged on. "You could not have done anything to prevent Quidditch from being cancelled."

"I swore to Charlie," Oliver said hollowly, "I swore to win the Quidditch Cup; I wanted to be as good as a Captain as Charlie." For a moment, Oliver looked as defeated as a lost boy in a crowded Diagon Alley. Ashlyn's heart ached for him. "Now, I've only got next term; and if I don't win the Cup-" Oliver could barely think of the outcome.

Ashlyn gently took Oliver's hand, "Oliver, Charlie knows how hard you're trying; you think the Weasley twins don't talk to their big brother? He knows that you're a good Captain; and you'll win the Quidditch Cup next time-"

"You're in the Ravenclaw Quidditch team and you're assuring me?" He pointed out incredulously.

Ashlyn rolled her eyes, "I didn't say Ravenclaw was going to make it easy," She said mock-snootily. Finally, a genuine smile appeared on Oliver's face. "See, I made you laugh!" Ashlyn crowed as she removed her robes; her sweater was sopping wet as it was. "But I'm serious; I'm not going to let you win without a fight."

"I know," Oliver grinned, "I would be insulted if you do."

"So shall we go in now?" Ashlyn asked; she could barely feel her fingers, her teeth were chattering slightly. Oliver sensed her discomfort. Pulling her hands onto his lap, he slipped his fingers through hers; his warmth pleasant on her cold skin. Inhaling sharply, Ashlyn shivered as tingles spread throughout her body.

"I think not," Oliver said. "We're past curfew, might as well stay for a while longer." He eventually let go of her fingers. "So how's Diggory?" She could not detect any note of malice or such; maybe it was just the thunder that just rumbled in the sky.

"He's fine, thanks," She replied, huddling into a ball to keep at least some warmth to herself. "A bit disappointed that Quidditch was cancelled but he'll live," Oliver smirked and muttered something Ashlyn knew better than to ask. The storm seemed to be getting worse, more clouds gathering. "I think I better get going-" Ashlyn was getting to her feet when Oliver caught her wrist and pulled her back down. Ashlyn laughed nervously as she realized how close she was to Oliver. "Oliver, what are you doing?"

"I've been waiting for the right moment," He murmured. Before Ashlyn could pull back, Oliver kissed her.

Ashlyn's eyes widened. She was frozen in shock as Oliver's lips were pressed against hers. Then he pulled away momentarily, "What am I doing? I'm taking my moment," He kissed her again. It took some time for it to sink in for Ashlyn but she eventually reacted.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Ashlyn shifted her position to straddle Oliver's thighs. Their kiss deepened, reducing Ashlyn into a useless puddle. She whimpered as his hands moved over her hips, pulling her closer to him. Her fingers tunneled through his hair as their kissing prolonged. Ashlyn wondered if she had ever dreamt her first kiss with Oliver to be this passionate.

Relief coursed through Oliver's veins as Ashlyn responded to his kiss. Breaking the kiss to take a breath, Oliver continued leaving tantalizing kisses down Ashlyn's neck. He felt her swallow and stammer, "O-oh g-god…Oliver…" He silenced her with another hungry kiss. The wind howled all around them but it sounded more liked a jubilant whoop to Oliver's ears.

Ashlyn could practically hear her own heartbeat in her ears, making her light-headed. Settling onto Oliver's lap, Ashlyn felt a heat of energy surging through her body; re-energizing her. She fit his embrace perfectly, Oliver realized. He knew he had to make her his now. He panicked slightly when he felt Ashlyn pulling away. "Oliver," She murmured through his kisses, "Can't we talk about this?" She whispered. Desperate to prolong this moment, Oliver shook his head shortly.

"Don't," He rasped, "Don't speak," As soon as those words left his mouth, Ashlyn's head snapped back; away from him. She looked as if she had been punched in the stomach. Oliver's mind ran wild; what did he say? Then he noticed the unnatural glimmer in Ashlyn's green eyes and he blanched.

"Oh god," Ashlyn mumbled, covering her mouth. "_Cedric_," That single word sent Oliver's world crashing. His throat ran dry as Ashlyn stumbled to her feet. "How could- Why would you- I-" Ashlyn seemed to be at a loss for words. Oliver too, got to his feet.

"I'm not going to apologize," Oliver said firmly.

Ashlyn was astounded, "But why would you do that?" She cried, "When you know very well about Cedric and me?" Oliver flinched; another blow to his being. She looked frightened; the lightening in the sky throwing both their faces into momentary light. The storm grew stronger and angrier; just like the emotions of the two teenagers in the Quidditch pitch.

Deciding to keep his mouth shut before he could say anything rash, Oliver advanced towards Ashlyn. She was rooted to the spot, "Don't," She hissed, fighting the urge to hurl herself at him. "Don't come any closer-" Her voice became weaker as he neared her; there was hardly any plea in her words. Tilting her face up, Oliver placed another searing kiss on her lips. This time, her lips had a hint of saltiness due to a stray tear.

Knocking Oliver's arms off her, Ashlyn slapped the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain hard. Biting her lower lip, Ashlyn spun on her heel and fled. There she left behind Oliver, wondering if the right moment had just turned wrong.

* * *

Well? Hope this was the type of Oliver/Ashlyn moment you guys wanted!

Marshmallows for everyone!

If you can recall, Cedric said 'Don't speak' when he brought his relationship with Ashlyn out into the public in the Three Broomsticks. So when Oliver said it, Ashlyn was reminded of Cedric; thus her freaking out. If I were her, I would be too. If you guys noticed, there was minimal mention of Cedric in this chapter because after reading all your reviews, I thought, "Yeah, there should be more Oliver/Ashlyn. No more Cedric!!" Haha, I must be influenced by **OceanSapphire**. But I still love him really. Cedric I mean. Not only that, I recently watched the first and second HP movie and realized that Oliver has actually be shown a satisfactory number of times. So I kept rewinding his scenes and let me tell you, Oliver is incredibly SEXY; another reason why I decided to focus on Oliver now. Oliver's Hotness overload is NOT good for the soul.

I will admit, I had a REALLY hard time writing the Oliver/Ashlyn kissing part. One of my weak areas; nearly tore my hair out in frustration. So please do pardon me. But if you liked it, let me know so I can feel a bit more confident about writing such scenes. However, this fic will remain a strict T and will not turn to a M.

Thanks so much for reviewing all the chapters, **Ami-Weasley**! It definitely brought me joy, along with gratefulness and a whole lot of good feelings about my writing. Haha you guessed right, **rukia23**! I knew I had to make Oliver make the first move since Ashlyn was so confused on who she really liked. I am surprised though that some of you liked the last line of the previous chapter. But thanks for letting me know, **ScarletRoseX**, **Ami-Weasley** and **KristyT23**!

Yes, Oliver was my Valentine too, **Jess**! Your review was exceptionally kind; thank you. I hope you liked this chapter! Haha how awkward do you think the situation is going to get, **Toolazytologin**? Now that Oliver's made his feelings known to Ashlyn; what's the girl to do? Oh no, I wouldn't be able to make Cedric evil, **Lotti6369**! Haha but thanks for letting me know your sentiments!

I shall end here. Please do review, won't you? PLEASE also check out my other HP fic and review! DaphneG/Oliver! The pairing is first of its kind and thus, reviews are few.

So please do review.


	13. Chapter 13: Relapse

Chapter Thirteen! A huge hug and love to all my reviewers: **MainlyMaddison**, **Lift the Wings**, **EW4eva**, **rukia23**, **KristyT23**, **Manic-Cheese-Fairy**, **Toolazytologin**, **williammoseleysgirl**, **HeeHeeHee01**, **ScarletRoseX**, **Lotti6369**, **jess**, **Lean Ayres**, **UnGiornoPerNoi**, **ciara512**, **Starletspotlight**, **OceanSapphire** and **Hurricane Rachel**. I was so happy to know that you guys loved the last chapter. Hope you guys will like this chapter as much as the last. Thank you so much.

On with Chapter Thirteen!

* * *

Agony.

Total agony.

That was the way Ashlyn was feeling when she awoke the next morning. Her body felt like it had been thrown onto a gravel road, burned in a blazing fire, flung into pit full of broken glass and then shut in a room with a Rogue Bludger. It seemed too painful to think, let alone drag herself out of bed. Somehow she managed it anyway, but she must have looked awful; for Ella stopped short and went, "You look terrible," She commented, concern in her voice.

Not wanting any mollycoddling, Ashlyn hoisted her bag onto her shoulder (not without wincing first) and left the Ravenclaw Tower. Every muscle, every cell inside of her screamed for rest as she trudged towards the Great Hall. Even when she took a seat at the Ravenclaw table, she felt too tired to lift a fork. Burying her head in her arms, she tried to get some sort of sleep but the vision of Oliver kissing her on the Quidditch Pitch kept invading her head, worsening her headache.

Ashlyn drifted in and out of consciousness, only catching a few snatches of Raine's words to her. It was only when she heard the soothing tone of Cedric's voice then Ashlyn began to respond. "Ashlyn," He said softly, "Are you alright?" She felt the guilt well up inside of her. One of his hands lifted up her head gently while the other felt her forehead. She heard him suck in his breath quietly.

"It's a fever, isn't it?" Raine said worriedly. Cedric nodded and bent over Ashlyn. Raine placed a gentle hand on Ashlyn's back. "You've got to go to the Hospital Wing, Ash," Ashlyn moaned pitifully and shook her head miserably. Raine glanced at Cedric who seemed to come to a decision.

He slipped his arms under Ashlyn's body and scooped her up. She let out a squeak and buried her face in his chest. "Cedric," She said in a half-sob, half-cry which broke his heart. She sounded so fragile and mournful. Ashlyn pressed her face harder into Cedric's school robes as she felt the weight of a hundred gazes on her. Ignoring the school, Cedric pressed a kiss on Ashlyn's temple and made his way towards the Hospital Wing. Shifting her slightly, Cedric freed one arm to knock on the door.

"What is it?" Madam Pomfrey's voice was high with suspicion, making Ashlyn shrink back into Cedric's arms.

"Madam Pomfrey," Cedric's smooth voice washed over Ashlyn like snowflakes falling from the sky, "Sorry for bothering you but-" Ashlyn felt a few tears slide down her face; hating herself for betraying Cedric. He was clearly the gentleman he set out to be and he truly cared for her. Wiping her tears away, Ashlyn eventually let go of Cedric as he set her down gently on the bed.

"Fevers in the summer are unheard of," Madam Pomfrey muttered to herself as she bustled around the Hospital Wing. "Off you go, Diggory," Ashlyn's hand shot out and grabbed hold of Cedric's robes.

"No, you can't," Ashlyn swallowed as she remembered the Petrified victims. "I-I don't want to be alone," She whispered pathetically. Cedric hesitated; reluctant to leave Ashlyn so distraught. Madam Pomfrey tutted and pushed a goblet of potion into Ashlyn's hands.

"This would make you sleep, Spencer," Madam Pomfrey said, "Diggory will be back by the time you awake,"

Cedric took Ashlyn's hand, "I'll be here," He reassured. Sinking back onto her pillows, Ashlyn hesitantly drank the potion Madam Pomfrey gave her. Just as Madam Pomfrey took the goblet away, Ashlyn's felt her muscles relax. Her vision turned blurry and soon she drifted off to a deep sleep.

* * *

"What's the matter with you?" Percy demanded as he took a seat next to Oliver in the Transfiguration classroom. The Gryffindor Quidditch Captain had his head buried in his arms. Rolling his eyes, Percy slammed down his stack of books, making Oliver flinch. Oliver raised his head tiredly, dark shadows under his eyes; his joints stiff. Rumpling up his hair, Oliver ignored the hopeful glances from the girls and tilted his head back, groaning aloud.

Percy frowned as Oliver's head thumped back onto the table. "Honestly," Percy huffed, shaking his head disapprovingly as he opened his Transfiguration textbook. "You're probably just overreacting,"

Oliver mumbled something in reply that Percy did not catch. "Pardon…?" Percy said irritably as he rifled through his rolls of parchment.

Oliver raised his head a few inches and repeated, "Sod off," before sinking back into his arms. At that moment, Professor McGonagall entered the classroom and turned to face her class.

"Today," Her face was drawn; as it was for the past few days since Professor Dumbledore was suspended, "We will be T-" She paused shortly when she saw Oliver slumped on his desk. "Wood?" At the mention of his name, Oliver sat up abruptly; wincing as his bones clicked into place. "Are you alright?" She peered at him worriedly above her glasses.

"Fine, Professor," Oliver willed himself nod.

"Clearly, you are not," Professor McGonagall sharply. "Up you get; the rest of you are to turn to page one hundred and thirty-two and read the chapter while I take Wood to the Hospital Wing." Hauling himself off his chair, Oliver traipsed after McGonagall. She strode swiftly up two floors towards the Hospital Wing and knocked smartly on the door.

"Poppy," McGonagall said briskly as the nurse let them in, "Wood here looks a little bit peaky-"

"Lack of sleep, Professor," Oliver admitted. He had been kept awake by the memory of Ashlyn slapping him the night before. The left side of his face still ached with the sting of the slap.

"I think it is more than that, Wood," McGonagall frowned. Madam Pomfrey had already had him seated on one of the beds. "Maybe some Strengthening Solution will do, Poppy…" The two women bustled off, discussing under their breaths. Oliver glanced around uncomfortably at the screens surrounding five beds, obviously the beds of the Petrified victims. But then the last bed caught Oliver's eye.

It was Ashlyn.

She was asleep. However, Oliver could sense that she was in discomfort. Her fists were gripping the sheets tightly and her cheeks were flushed. Oliver approached her bed hesitantly, gently touching her wrist. He gently brushed a lock of hair off her forehead; but inhaled sharply when the backs of his fingers came into contact with her burning skin. He felt a twinge of guilt as he realized he was reason why she was stuck with a fever.

Bending down, Oliver pressed his lips gently on Ashlyn's forehead. He heard her breath hitch as he caressed her cheek gently with his thumb. Slowly he straightened, unable to say a word. Just at that moment, Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey returned. "Here you go, Wood," Madam Pomfrey said, pushing a goblet full of potion into his hands. Downing the potion in a gulp, Oliver shivered as energy surged through his body.

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," Oliver said, licking his lips nervously, "What's wrong with Ashlyn?"

Madam Pomfrey glanced over Oliver's shoulder at the Ravenclaw; "She has a terrible fever, I'm afraid," Madam Pomfrey exchanged dark looks with McGonagall. "Quite unheard of, at this time of the year," Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips, "Do take care of yourself, Wood,"

He nodded and turned to take one last lingering look at Ashlyn. She seemed more at peace now. "Wood," Professor McGonagall placed a hand on Oliver's shoulder gently. "I assure you that Miss. Spencer is in excellent care," There seemed to be a knowing glitter in McGonagall's eye. Grinning weakly, Oliver stepped aside to let McGonagall through first before he followed suit.

* * *

"_Don't," She hissed, fighting the urge to hurl herself at him. "Don't come any closer-" Her voice became weaker as he neared her; there was hardly any plea in her words. Tilting her face up, Oliver placed another searing kiss on her lips. _

Ashlyn gasped as she suddenly sat up. Feeling her heart wretch, she closed her eyes as a tear slid down her face. Her sleep was anything but peaceful. Just like the night before, she kept dreaming of her encounter with Oliver in the rain. Not only that, she dreamt of the betrayal on Cedric's face after he found out.

The next thin she knew, she found herself in Cedric's arms. His murmured reassurances went unheard as she buried her face into his front. "Bad dream?" Cedric asked gently. Nodding slightly, Ashlyn forced herself to calm down and pull herself away. Settling back onto his chair, Cedric scooted closer to her as she relaxed onto her pillows. "How are you feeling?"

Swallowing grimly, Ashlyn managed to reply, "Better," Her head was still pounding, her body quaking with occasional shivers. "What time is it?"

"It's lunch; Madam Pomfrey said you've been sleeping all morning," Cedric said, his hand engulfing one of hers.

Ashlyn's brow furrowed, "Have you had lunch?" Seeing his hesitation, Ashlyn needed no answer. He had the choice to either lie or to endure her requests for him to eave. Catching the look on her face, Cedric let out a small laugh.

"No," He admitted, "And don't," He said before Ashlyn could protest, "I'm not leaving until you have had your lunch and Madam Pomfrey's potion," Cedric stood his ground. "Besides, I have this," Cedric pulled out a Chocolate Frog out of his pocket. Before Ashlyn could retaliate, Madam Pomfrey interrupted.

"Your soup, Spencer," Madam Pomfrey placed a bowl of steaming soup in front of Ashlyn; along with a goblet of potion. She then felt Ashlyn's forehead, "You still have a temperature. Drink the potion after the soup." With that, Madam Pomfrey whisked off.

"So did anything happen in the morning?" Ashlyn asked she pulled the bowl of soup towards herself.

"Lockhart showed us how he supposedly took down a troll and Snape took away points from Alexander for answering back," Cedric said. Ashlyn felt a small smile cross her face as she sipped her soup.

"You have been having a great day then," Ashlyn concluded. Sighing heavily, she put down her spoon, "You should be getting some lunch; it will make me feel much better if you didn't skip-"

"I don't need lunch, Ash," He affirmed. "I want to be here with you," Tears welled up in Ashlyn's eyes again as she saw the sincerity burning in Cedric's eyes. His brows furrowed as he noticed the glimmer in her eye. "Ashlyn," He stood up, "Are you-"

"The soup is too hot," Ashlyn gasped, quickly wiping her eyes. "I'm fine, I'm okay," Swallowing a sob stuck in her throat, Ashlyn pulled herself together, "Anyway," She smiled brightly, "Do we have homework?" Not answering, Cedric pushed the table away to make way for him to sit on the edge of the bed. Pulling Ashlyn into his arms, Cedric gently kissed her burning forehead.

"Something's bothering you," Cedric brushed her tear away with his thumb. Wrapping her arms around his middle, Ashlyn breathed shakily; the familiar smell of citrus and amber soothing her senses. "What is it?" He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"N-nothing," Ashlyn whispered. "I'm so sorry-"

Not knowing that she was apologizing for something else, Cedric interrupted. "Enough," He slid out of her grip and tilted her face up. "You're just tired," Taking the goblet, Cedric handed it to her. Adjusting her pillow, Cedric ensured she was comfortable. "I'll be back later," He assured. "And don't tell me to do otherwise," He warned as he saw Ashlyn start to speak.

Defeated, Ashlyn drank the potion. Relaxing onto the bed, she let Cedric remove the goblet from her hands and kiss her on the forehead. Slowly, she drifted off to a deep sleep while Cedric stayed by her side until he had to leave for his next lesson.

* * *

The Strengthening Solution did Oliver some good; he was feeling much better than compared to how he felt in the morning. But after the small visit to the Hospital Wing, the memory of Ashlyn lying on a bed kept Oliver from concentrating on his lessons; much to Percy's disgust. His lack of attention caused Gryffindor to lose twenty points, courtesy of Snape. Not only that, he had an essay to finish by the next day.

Pushing all of that aside, Oliver headed towards the Hospital Wing during dinner. He just had to see Ashlyn and sort this all out. Pausing outside the door, Oliver peered into the Hospital Wing. He caught sight of Ashlyn, awake and sitting up. There was a small smile on her face.

Then Diggory came into view; the person Ashlyn was talking to. He pulled a chair close to her and they fell into conversation. Madam Pomfrey deposited a bowl of porridge onto the table and a goblet of potion for Ashlyn. Diggory helped Ashlyn become more comfortable before pushing the table closer to her. Feeling a stab of jealousy, Oliver forced himself to continue watching.

Ashlyn stirred her porridge, waiting for it to cool as Cedric updated her on school. "McGonagall announced that exams are still on," Cedric said. Dropping her spoon, Ashlyn groaned. "Next week,"

"You're kidding," Ashlyn muttered miserably. Her fever had yet to go down and her headache just would not cease. Scooping up a spoonful of porridge, Ashlyn let it dribble back into the bowl moodily. Cedric let out a short laugh as he kissed her temple.

"You'll be fine," He reassured, "When you're feeling up to it, we'll study together." Nodding doubtfully, Ashlyn started on her porridge. Their companionable silence was interrupted when a loud growl came from Cedric's stomach. Ashlyn choked and covered her mouth, stifling her giggles. Cedric's cheeks were pink as another growl emitted.

"Will you PLEASE go and get some dinner?" She placed down her spoon. "If you don't, I'm not eating."

"You're resorting to blackmail now?" Cedric asked incredulously.

"Since you're so bloody stubborn-"

Ashlyn's voice trailed off when she caught sight of Oliver. Following her gaze, Cedric turned and glanced over his shoulder where Oliver stood hesitantly. "I was wondering if I could talk to you," Oliver said quietly. Ashlyn averted her eyes as she felt the burn of Oliver's gaze. Cedric looked back and forth at both Oliver and Ashlyn for a while before getting to his feet.

"Cedric-" Ashlyn faltered; she was not ready to face Oliver yet. Cedric caught the look on her face and he hesitated. Making a decision, he kissed her forehead fleetingly; a silent promise to return as soon as possible. Straightening, Cedric shot a warning look at Oliver before he left the Hospital Wing. An uncomfortable silence hung thickly in the air. "What do you want?" Ashlyn hoped he did not hear the quiver in her voice.

Oliver knew he had to act fast before Diggory got back. "Why are you acting this way?" He asked in frustration.

Ashlyn glared at him hotly, "_Why_? What are you talking about??"

"You're acting as if I did something terrible!" Oliver shot back.

"Because you DID," Ashlyn exploded. "What do you want me to do? Tell Cedric the truth and come running into your arms? NO!" She yelled when she saw the hesitation on Oliver's face, "Do you know how much that will hurt Cedric?"

"But would you do it?" Oliver demanded. "If Diggory was out of the picture, would you come to me?" Ashlyn fell silent, seething at his gall to ask her such a question.

"No," She replied firmly, ignoring the numbing pain throbbing in her head. Oliver's eyebrows leaped up.

"Don't lie," Oliver said shakily. "Fred and George told me that you-" Catching the shock on Ashlyn's face, Oliver pressed on, "You mean you don't remember? Then let me refresh your memory," He felt a rush of fury in his veins, "Charms, at the start of the year, the twins were bored-"

"SHUT UP!" Ashlyn's cheeks were aflame with embarrassment and the fever that wrought her body. "Whatever Fred and George told you does not mean anything," She lied, the headache worsening. Oliver looked as if she had hit him. Curling into a ball, Ashlyn shrank back onto her pillow; confusion swirling in her head. One part of her hated for hurting Oliver so blatantly while the other part wished to be left alone.

"So yesterday meant nothing to you?" Oliver asked impassively. There was anguish welling up in his being. Yesterday, in the rain, meant everything to Oliver; it gave him hope. Now, all that hope was melting away like an ice-cream cone on a hot day. Urging himself forward, Oliver stepped closer to Ashlyn. She was biting on her lower lip nervously. "Ashlyn…"

"Don't make this harder for me," Ashlyn said. His head jerked as he took a step back. The atmosphere grew at least a bit more civil, though icy.

"What do you want me to do?" Oliver said, defeated. "Do I have to keep waiting-" That set Ashlyn off.

"What do YOU know about waiting?" She shrieked, "I'll admit it: I liked you ever since I was a second year. But did you notice me? No! You were too involved with Quidditch to notice! And you expect me to wait until you finally see?? CEDRIC WAS THERE FOR ME WHILE YOU TRAMPLED ALL OVER-"

Oliver's cheeks were flushed, "Don't pin this on me!" He yelled back, "Quidditch is important to me and if you don't understand that, I would be more than happy to let Diggory have you; if only I didn't want you so much!" Their yelling brought Madam Pomfrey to the scene.

"You are agitating the patient!" She raged. "Out, out, OUT!" Madam Pomfrey screeched. Throwing a furious look at Ashlyn, Oliver swept out of the Hospital Wing. He ignored Cedric who was returning from the kitchens. Sensing something amiss, Cedric quickened his pace and entered the Hospital Wing to see Ashlyn curled into a tight ball, her shoulders quaking. Madam Pomfrey was standing over her, attempting to calm her down.

"Ashlyn…?" At the sound of Cedric's voice, Ashlyn looked up. She was looking poorly; worse than he remembered before. Her breathing was ragged as Madam Pomfrey felt her forehead. "What happened?"

"A relapse," Madam Pomfrey said briskly. "I am very sorry, Diggory; but you have to return to your dormitory. Spencer is in no shape to have visitors now."

"But Ashlyn-" Before Cedric could say anything; Madam Pomfrey shooed him off, shutting the door. Stunned at the dismissal, Cedric wondered what on earth happened before he returned. The Hufflepuff eventually started walking towards his common room; thinking that it was probably time for him to have a small talk with a certain Gryffindor Quidditch captain.

* * *

End.

I hate how I make things so difficult for myself. By making Cedric so lovely to Ashlyn, it makes me fall in love with him again! Yes, I love Oliver but Cedric's such a wonderful person! Which makes it all the more difficult for me to break him and Ashlyn up. I want my own Cedric! He's so incredibly sweet, isn't he? Although judging by majority of your reviews, most of you love Oliver. Well, I do too but it's so difficult! And no, **williammoseleysgirl**, Ashlyn isn't going to die. Haha sorry but that ain't the point of the story. And yes, you are the resident Ms Evil.

Haha **MainlyMaddison**, you know; you might just become one of the characters! Might being the keyword, I'm afraid. Just don't get your hopes up yet. I'll keep you posted but please do keep reviewing! Hey **EW4eva**, where did you suggest I put my story again? You didn't say where I should put this to get new readers; please tell me, alright? Well **rukia23**, Oliver just made things more complicated by making Ashlyn angry. Tsk tsk.

Hope you're still alive out there, **HeeHeeHee01**! It would be such a pity if I lose a reviewer such as yourself! Hope you liked this chapter. **ScarletRoseX**, it's not wrong to fantasize about it. Did you happen to envision it all clearly? If yes, do tell me; I would be most grateful. And apologies if I made your choice between Oliver and Cedric more difficult with this chapter. I just had to make Cedric the true gentleman he is. Which makes it all the more difficult for me to write their break-up. Urgh. So **Toolazytologin**, was it awkward enough for Ashlyn to be around Cedric? Hope you think so.

Thanks for the kind reviews, **Lotti6369** and **UnGiornoPerNoi**! I hope you guys continue reading this and reviewing. Awh **jess**! I love you too. Thanks for your amazing review; it's going to be hard breaking up Cedric and Ashlyn though! Haha hope you liked this chapter. Glad you liked the 'Don't speak' part, **Starletspotlight**! Uhm do you want a tiny bit more of Ashlyn/Cedric or Ashlyn/Oliver in the future, **Manic-Cheese-Fairy**?

IT REALLY IS GOING TO BE HARD TO BREAK CEDRIC AND ASHLYN UP!! I hope I won't disappoint you guys though. Please do review and let me know what you guys think! Any suggestions are welcome. (Note: Keep the evilness to a minimum, **willaimmoseleysgirl**!)


	14. Chapter 14: Bone Tired

This chapter was actually ready to be uploaded nearly...two days ago? But something was wrong with the site and I could not log in at ALL!!! So that definitely delayed me. ANYWAY, here it is; Chapter 14! A big huge thanks to my lovely reviewers: **Lift the Wings**, **UnGiornoPerNoi**, **Manic-Cheese-Fairy**, **ScarletRoseX**,** rukia23**, **StarletSpotlight**, **MainlyMaddison**, **Toolazytologin**, **jess**, **Lean Ayres**, **palepheonix**, **KristyT23**, **musicizmylife135**, **Kopycat**, **Ami-Weasley**, **OceanSapphire** and the resident Ms. Evil, **williammoseleysgirl**. Thanks you guys, you make all the difference.

Alright! On with the chapter!

* * *

Madam Pomfrey had barred everyone from the Hospital Wing; not allowing anyone in. This vexed Cedric to no end. But he would always make it point to drop by the Hospital Wing after breakfast, lunch, dinner; just in case Madam Pomfrey changed her mind. Fortunately, his persistence was rewarded four days before the exams.

It was just after breakfast and Cedric left the Great Hall towards the Hospital Wing. He raised his hand and knocked gently on the wooden door. Madam Pomfrey answered and looked at him sternly. "Back again, are you; Diggory?" She asked curtly, a grudging smile on her face. Poppy Pomfrey liked Cedric; he was polite and a wonderful young man who genuinely cared for Ashlyn Spencer.

"Afraid so, Madam Pomfrey," Cedric smiled sheepishly. "How is she?"

Pomfrey sniffed, "She is feeling much better and her fever has gone down somewhat," She said vaguely. Cedric rocked back and forth on his heels hesitantly. He started to ask the usual question that he would normally ask; but Pomfrey beat him to it. "I suppose you may see her," Pomfrey said; a thin-lipped smile on her face. Cedric's grin broadened as he stepped into the Hospital Wing.

There she was, sitting up and having her breakfast; a curtain of her hair hiding her face. She looked up and the tiniest of smiles crossed her face. Striding straight towards her, Cedric bent down and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Hey," He said quietly, pulling a chair closer to her. "Madam Pomfrey said you're feeling better,"

"Much," Ashlyn said, "But she's not letting me go just yet," A pile of books on Ashlyn's bedside table caught Cedric's eye. Following his gaze, Ashlyn placed down her spoon. "Err I was a bit bored so I thought I would start studying," Her voice trailed off.

"But you're sick," Cedric pointed out, wondering how on earth she could study while she had a headache. "How could you-?"

"It wasn't easy," Ashlyn sighed as she picked up her cutlery again. "Studying Ancient Runes is like banging your head against the wall; painful and pointless," Ashlyn grimaced.

"You're amazing…" Cedric muttered as he flipped through her Ancient Runes textbook, shaking his head lightly at his girlfriend's persistence. Ashlyn bit her lower lip and stopped eating for a moment.

"Cedric," She said uncomfortably. He looked up questioningly. Seeing the serious expression on her face, Cedric put the Ancient Runes textbook aside and leaned forward curiously. "I…"

A knock on the door interrupted her. Holding up one finger, Cedric scooted his chair back and went in search of Madam Pomfrey. Sinking back on her pillows, Ashlyn ran through her lines in her head. She could not possibly prolong it any longer; Cedric had to know. Madam Pomfrey bustled out again, Cedric behind her. Pomfrey opened the door to let Raine in. "How are you??" Raine asked anxiously. "Everybody has been asking about you- Oh hey, Cedric," She nodded at him.

"Raine," He acknowledged her politely. "I'll be off now; Divination," Kissing Ashlyn on the forehead, Cedric bade them goodbye. "I'll come back during lunch," He promised before he departed.

"Will you help me catch up during dinner?" Ashlyn gestured towards her books. Cedric rolled his eyes and nodded in resignation; he much preferred her to rest instead. Raine waited for the door to close behind him before her head whipped back to face Ashlyn.

"Alright, I got Flitwick to let me off History of Magic to see you. Apparently, friendship IS more important than good grades. So what seems to be the problem?" Raine said smoothly.

"I need your help," Ashlyn pleaded. "I did something stupid. The thing is that it didn't feel stupid at that time but it was definitely stupid. I mean, I completely lost my head and I just- Oh I don't know, I can't believe I did something so stupid, Raine! I didn't mean to but it just happened and I don't know what to do; I think I'm going to hell, maybe I SHOULD go to hell-"

"ASHLYN SPENCER!!" Raine yelled, grabbing Ashlyn's shoulders. "You are babbling," Raine said calmly. Ashlyn blinked before sighing in defeat. "Okay what stupid thing are you talking about?"

Ashlyn hesitated, "Remember when I entered the Ravenclaw common room that night all wet?" Raine nodded; how could she ever forget?

_Ashlyn hurled herself up the Ravenclaw Tower. Miraculously, she did not meet any teacher, ghost, Prefect, Head Boy or Head Girl. Her wet shoes made squeaking noises against the marble floor; her lips burning from Oliver's kiss. Letting out a cry, Ashlyn slipped and fell onto the hard cold floor. Choking back a sob, Ashlyn rubbed her sore knee. Her heart was pounding hard in her ears and her head was whirling. Stumbling to her feet, Ashlyn lunged herself onto the wooden door with the eagle knocker._

_In no shape to answer a riddle, Ashlyn banged her fists on the wood; hoping someone would kindly open the door for her. She was shivering violently, her soaked clothes were no help. Her plea for someone to let her in was eventually answered._

_Everything was in disarray. Warm hands helped her in, voices came from all directions. Confused and dazed, Ashlyn found herself being pulled towards the fireplace. "Get a blanket," She heard Roger's voice. Soon, she was seated in front of the fire shivering. Cara had her wand directed at Ashlyn; performing the Hot-Air Charm for extra warmth._

"_Is she alright?"_

"_What HAPPENED to her?"_

"_She must be mad; walking around in the storm like that…"_

"_Someone get Raine!"_

"_Probably a little walk with Diggory…"_

"_Less talk, more action!" Jeremy Stretton yelled above the activity. "Will someone get a blanket and Raine?"_

"_Pipe down, Jer," Raine's cool voice emerged from the stairs. "I'm here." Heading straight to Ashlyn, Raine draped a thick blanket over her shoulders. Nodding slightly to Cara, Raine took a seat next to Ashlyn who was gazing blankly into the fire. Taking it as an indication to leave, Cara turned to Roger who understood immediately._

"_Budge along; nothing to see here," Roger announced. Mumbling amongst themselves, the other Ravenclaws eventually dispersed into their own activities that they were doing. Ashlyn paid no attention to their pointed gazes; all she could think about was how close she came to losing control._

"What happened that day?" Raine prompted Ashlyn gently. Ashlyn pulled her pillow to her front and hugged it to herself nervously. "Ashlyn…" Raine said slowly, a sense of foreboding welling up in her being.

"Oliver kissed me," Ashlyn muttered.

Raine's eyebrows shot up, "What????"

Ashlyn sighed, "Oliver-"

"No I got you the first time," Raine interrupted. "So let me guess: the stupid thing you did was kiss him back, right?" Ashlyn nodded miserably. "Okay," Raine closed her eyes to process her thoughts. "How did it happen?? I mean, what did he do to you???"

"He didn't do anything! It was raining and he was depressed because Quidditch had been cancelled." Ashlyn bit her bottom lip again. "So we were talking and I got up to go…" Ashlyn recalled, "And then he kissed me," Ashlyn mumbled the rest, feeling the blood rush to her face.

Raine hesitated, "Was it…good?" She asked delicately.

Before she could stop herself, a small embarrassed smile spread across Ashlyn's face. The kiss, she remembered clearly. His arms around her waist, hers around his neck; the motions, the sensations were already a part of her. "Amazing," Ashlyn could only say. Then she snapped herself out of it. "Oh god, I'm really going to hell,"

"Get a grip," Raine commanded. "Think rationally for a moment," The two fell silent for a while.

"I am in trouble, aren't I?" Ashlyn sighed in resignation.

"Gee, of course not," Raine said, sarcasm layering her voice, "It is totally okay for you to snog someone else while you're with another!" Raine rolled her eyes, "And out of all people, it had to be Wood," Raine vented. "Out of the whole miserable stinking male population, it just had to be Wood…" Ashlyn just had to bite back a grin.

"He said he wouldn't apologize," Ashlyn said. Raine's head snapped up.

"You've talked to Wood after the incident?" Raine demanded.

Ashlyn nodded sheepishly, "We had an argument," She said quietly. "I think I may have put a little too much of the blame on him," At Raine's questioning look, Ashlyn elaborated, "I _did_ kiss him back," Groaning in frustration, Ashlyn flopped back onto her bed. "Every time I think about it, I remember Cedric." Ashlyn blinked as her eyes became watery. Throwing an arm over her eyes, Ashlyn continued, "He's been so wonderful to me; and it gets harder for me to confess."

Raine was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "Ashlyn, when you kissed Wood; did it _feel _wrong?"

Ashlyn was afraid; afraid to say the one single word that answered that question. Not only that, it frightened her that the one word barreled into her mind without a hitch. It frightened her how much she wanted to say that one single word to Raine's question: _No.

* * *

_It was dinnertime. Ashlyn lay on her bed, wondering how she was going to tell Cedric. Her stomach clenched and unclenched every five minutes. Her palms were sweaty and she fidgeted relentlessly. Madam Pomfrey approached her bedside. "Is something bothering you, Spencer?" Pomfrey asked; her lips pursed as she set down Ashlyn's plate of dinner.

Ashlyn sat up slowly, "Oh no, Madam Pomfrey; it's nothing. Nothing compared to what Hogwarts is facing now," Ashlyn spared a glance at the hidden beds and involuntarily shuddered.

"Don't you worry; Spencer; Professor Sprout and I will be preparing the Mandrake potion soon. And hopefully, the culprit will be caught-" Just at that moment, Cedric burst through the door; startling the two females. "Diggory, that was unnecessary!" Madam Pomfrey gasped, clutching her chest.

"Sorry," Cedric apologized, making a beeline towards Ashlyn. He bestowed his usual kiss on her cheek. "I'm sorry I was late," He said hurriedly, taking a seat. "Snape was being a bastard as usual-"

"Diggory; watch your language!" Madam Pomfrey admonished. Tutting under her breath, Madam Pomfrey left Cedric and Ashlyn alone. A boyish grin flitted onto Cedric's face as he watched Pomfrey disappear into her office.

"It's about time they agreed Snape's a bastard," Cedric murmured. Turning his attention to Ashlyn, he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She looked at him just as he leaned forward. Their lips met in a gentle kiss. Ashlyn mentally blanched when she had a brief flashback of Oliver leaning in.

She quickly pulled away, "Careful now," She laughed nervously. "I'm not in the clear yet; we wouldn't want you getting sick now, would we?" Ashlyn pulled her dinner closer to herself and began to eat; sharing her dinner with Cedric. Soon, dinner was polished off and Cedric began pulling out his books.

'Do it!' Ashlyn urged herself. 'Tell him how you betrayed him without blinking an eye! Tell him!!' **I can't!!! **Ashlyn thought in panic. **He's going to hate me; I can't tell him. He doesn't deserve this.** Ashlyn's hands gradually gripped her blanket, her palms growing damp. "…Ashlyn? Ashlyn," Cedric's voice jerked her out of her reverie. "You look pale; lie back," He ordered, gently but firmly pushing her back onto her back. "I'll get Madam Pomfrey-"

"No, no, I'm okay," Ashlyn reassured hastily, not wanting Madam Pomfrey to force another potion onto her. "I'll be okay," She nodded to reinforce her point. "What are we studying today?"

Cedric hesitantly sat back down, "Think you're up for History of Magic?" His eyebrow arched up. She nodded quickly in reply, reaching for her History of Magic textbook. Together they pored over Goblin Rebellions through the history of Wizards and the Magical World. Ashlyn was reminded of the time she had trouble with her History of Magic essay in the library and Cedric had come along.

"_Ashlyn," Just a whisper was enough to catch her attention; but her name was said right in her ear, the speaker's warm breath stroking her cheek. She let out a squeak, blotting her essay. Whipping around, she stared up at Cedric who was clearly amused. He drew a chair close to her._

"_That wasn't funny," Ashlyn pouted as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I could get banned from coming here for screaming out of nowhere," Cedric's thumb brushed her cheek as he glanced over her shoulder at her essay._

"_Goblin rebellions," He scanned the essay, ignoring what she said. "Did you know you wrote the same sentence twice?" His grey eyes darted over the page to check for more mistakes. Covering her hand with his, he guided her quill to cross out the extra sentence. Then he plucked the quill out of her hand so that his fingers were able to lace together with hers._

"_So you came here to correct my History of Magic homework?" Ashlyn leaned against Cedric comfortably._

"_No, I came here to see you," Cedric murmured, his voice low in her ear. Feeling tingles spread throughout her body, Ashlyn sank into Cedric's embrace. Now she was certain she was not going to be able to concentrate on her essay._

"_But you saw me this morning," She rested her head on the crook of his neck. "Isn't that enough?"_

"_Of course not," Cedric grinned. "It will never be enough,"_

"Goblin rebellions," Cedric was muttering, "Bane of my life…"

Ashlyn was unable to hold it back any longer. "Cedric," She blurted out. He glanced up and caught her expression. "I-I've got something to tell you," She said shakily. He closed his History of Magic textbook and eyed her curiously. Taking in a deep breath, Ashlyn closed her eyes to find her courage. "Cedric, I'm sorry," She whispered. "I-"

"Ash, you-" Cedric reached for her hand but she flinched away. She shook her head violently.

"Don't," Ashlyn pleaded, feeling the sting under her eyelids. "I can't- you- you don't deserve any of this. But I'm so tired," Her voice broke, one tear sliding down her cheek.

"Ashlyn, you're not making sense," Cedric said, his brow furrowing. "You need rest; I'll come back tomorrow-"

"I kissed Oliver!" Ashlyn cried. Cedric's head snapped back in shock. His face was drained of color and his jaw tightened. Ashlyn swallowed hard as she saw Cedric's hands quiver slightly. "I-I've been me-meaning to t-tell you but every time I see you," Ashlyn's voice weakened to a whisper, "I just couldn't,"

Cedric forced his jaw to work. "You're telling me that you kissed Wood?" He demanded. Ashlyn flinched when she heard the hurt in his voice. Cedric ran a hand through his hair in frustration until it clicked. Everything fell into place: Ashlyn's sudden distant nature, Wood's abrupt leave from the Hospital Wing the day before and Ashlyn's occasional tears. "When?" Cedric asked; his eyes closed.

"Last Sunday," Ashlyn said weakly.

"Why?"

Ashlyn was speechless. She forced her mouth to work, "I'm sorry," She whispered, another tear falling, "I'm so, so sorry," Another tear fell onto her lap; another and yet another fell, dampening her sheets. Gathering his things, Cedric strode out of the Hospital Wing and forced himself to not look back; not even after Ashlyn called his name.

* * *

Raine was fuming as she strode through the corridors. Her calf muscles burned but Raine was not going to stop until she found the prat by the name of Oliver Wood. Raine was well aware of her biased view against Wood but she could not help it; the git was the most annoying creature that ever existed. Catching sight of the boy in question, Raine sped up towards him.

Oliver glanced over his shoulder and happened to see Raine heading straight towards his direction. Not wanting a scene, Oliver quickly detached himself from his friends and strode off. Raine bristled and practically jogged after him. "Oliver Wood!" She yelled after him. Leading her to a deserted corridor, Oliver then whirled around. "What the _hell_ is your problem?" Raine demanded angrily.

"My problem?" Oliver said hotly, "I suppose Ashlyn has told you everything?"

"Of course," Raine said angrily. "How could you? Do you know how confused she is? She's hardly like herself anymore and it's ALL YOUR FAULT!" Raine shrieked. Oliver took a step back, reminded of his argument with Ashlyn the day before. Raine's features morphed into Ashlyn's in Oliver's head; Raine's scowl matched Ashlyn's exactly.

"She hardly seemed confused that day when she was yelling at me," Oliver shot back. "Ashlyn was bloody clear about not wanting to have anything to do with me,"

"Oh Lord, you better pray I don't hex you right here, Wood!" Raine said with fury. "What the hell makes you think that??"

"What do you want, Lee?" Oliver demanded, bone-tired; he felt like he was the one who was not himself. It was not in his character to be so rash and hateful.

"I want you to clear up this mess you left Ashlyn with," Raine snapped.

"She doesn't want to see me, Lee," Oliver gritted his teeth as he started to go, "There is nothing I can do-"

"She's already told Diggory!" Raine yelled. Oliver stopped on his tracks, the blood draining his face. The sudden silence was unsettling; Oliver slowly turned around, his brain processing the information.

"What did you say?" He asked weakly. "She did what?"

"Ashlyn told Diggory," Raine's shoulder's sagged before her voice grew hard and cold, "And she made it sound like she was the one who initiated it. God," She scoffed, "I always told Ashlyn that you weren't worth it; Oliver Wood, Quidditch _extraordinaire_," Raine mocked, "Probably couldn't see it even if it danced naked in front of him; yet, she persisted. I thought it was over when Diggory came along. Then YOU had to ruin everything just like you always do." Finally out of steam, Raine fell silent.

Oliver grappled for words, any words. It was no secret to him that Raine despised him; he could tell by the way she addressed him, the way she sometimes glared at him for no reason at all. What mystified him was the reason why Raine hated him in the first place; now he knew and everything came flooding back.

"Look," Raine had quieted down, "I did not find you to yell at you; that's only part of it. I came here to tell you that Ashlyn is my best friend; and I can only do so much. She needs you," Raine said softly, a twinge of reluctance. "I would say she's being foolish; but it's time you proved me wrong, isn't it?" With that, Raine left; telling herself to not expect miracles, that challenging Oliver was a waste of time.

But what Raine did not know was that Oliver Wood would never back down from a challenge.

* * *

End.

Well! How was that? Hope you guys like that!

This chapter was pretty difficult to write, especially the part when Ashlyn confessed to Cedric. Made my heart break. Haha you have a good point, **ScarletRoseX**; about Ashlyn putting too much of the blame on Oliver. But she was upset; not thinking and all. Oooh hope you're feeling alright now, **rukia23** and **StarletSpotlight**! I am sorry that no two particular blokes visiting you guys like Ashlyn but I hope this is good enough (I know it isn't; I would kill to have both Cedric and Oliver visit me when I'm sick...) Just make do, alright? Haha you were spot on, **StarletSpotlight**! Ashlyn had to tell Cedric due to her overwhelming guilt.

Yup breaking up is hard to do, **MainlyMaddison**. Which reminds me, I think I should change the genre of this story to Romance/Drama. When I think about it, there will be more drama than humor really. Just for your information anyway. Glad you liked Ashlyn's reaction, **jess**. As for the breaking up, it comes up in the next chapter so look out for it, yeah? Haha there will EVENTUALLY be Ashlyn/Oliver, **palephoenix**. Love your name by the way.

Yes, **KristyT23**, this story is named after the Mariah Carey song; no coincidence. I love the song too. Hope you liked this chapter, **musicizmylife135**; now that there is this huge fight and all. **Kopycat**, what do you think of Cedric's reaction? I myself could just picture Cedric's face and all the expressions so hope that was a success. **AMI-WEASLEY**! Was wondering where you were at the last chapter! Thanks for reviewing there! Plus, thanks for the reminder that this is supposed to be a Ashlyn/Oliver not Ashlyn/Cedric! Haha totally needed that. Errrr don't go on strike; but I wouldn't know: you're in the States, I'm in Asia. You'll have to bear with me, alright?

Thanks for the faith, **OceanSapphire**! Your review means a lot. Sigh **williammoseleysgirl**, I don't know what to do with you. Haha! But don't stop anyway, your evilness is welcomed here. Thanks for your self-nomination...I think? Haha. Last note: thanks to **Lift the Wings**, **UnGiornoPerNoi**, **Manic-Cheese-Fairy**, **Toolazytologin** and **Lean Ayres** for your reviews(: Do keep reviewing! Oh and **UnGiornoPerNoi**, does your name mean anything? I'm interested to know.

Alright, please reivew you guys!


	15. Chapter 15: Keeps Them Guessing

Chapter Fifteen! Look at how far we have come! In this chapter, I am wrapping up the Chamber of Secrets year. As usual, I would like to give my love and my thanks to my reviewers: **MainlyMaddison**, **jess**, **UnGiornoPerNoi**, **Lotti6369**, **KristyT23**, **Lift the Wings**, **rukia23**, **VampireWithTheGoldenEyes**, **Toolazytologin**, **williammoseleysgirl**, **HeeHeeHee01**, **OceanSapphire**, **StarletSpotlight**, **Kopycat**, **Lean Ayres**, **Kenya** (WHO IS BACK!!!), **Ami-Weasley** and **Rationally Irrational**. Thanks you guys. Here's to new beginnings, happy endings and the ever-so-sexy Oliver Wood.

Enjoy!

* * *

"_She's already told Diggory!"_

Oliver's eyes shot open. He glanced around; he was in the Gryffindor common room. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together; staring into the fire. Raine's voice echoed in his head every now and then; rendering Oliver unable to concentrate on his Potions essay. He glanced at the clock; it was past midnight. Pulling his essay towards himself, Oliver glared at the parchment in front of him.

Trust Snape to set homework while the school was in danger of getting closed down.

"Not finished?" A voice came from behind. Oliver turned to see Percy shuffling down the boys' dormitories. The Prefect had his badge pinned on his robes which covered his pajamas, amusing Oliver to no end.

Oliver grinned weakly, "Yeah," He let Percy take his essay and look it over. "What are you doing up?"

Percy raised an eyebrow, "Who said I was asleep in the first place?" He muttered, "The rest kicked me out because I was still studying." Oliver snickered softly; how Percy-like.

"I should've known," Oliver muttered. "Already studying for the NEWTs eh?"

Percy frowned at Oliver over his essay, "Of course I am," Percy shot back. Oliver rolled his eyes and refocused his gaze on the fire. If he could just concentrate, he could nearly make out Ashlyn's hair, her face, her smile…

Oliver's rolled-up essay descended upon his head, courtesy of Percy. The Gryffindor Quidditch captain yelped and glanced up in confusion. "I was talking to you," Percy said condescendingly, "If you're tired, get to sleep." The Gryffindor Prefect proceeded to open his History of Magic textbook to study.

Oliver blinked disbelievingly at Percy; amazed that he was able to read the most boring textbook late at night. Giving up on his Potions essay, Oliver sat back on the couch, cushioning the back of his head with his hands. He contemplated telling Percy about the predicament he was facing, yet Oliver hated divulging details of his life to others. Inhaling deeply, Oliver thought of a way to make his question sound as inconspicuous as possible.

"Hey, Perce," Oliver made his voice as light as he could, "If you did something that you've meaning to do but it turns out not so well, what will you do?"

Percy barely raised his head from his textbook, "Depends on how important this 'something' I have been meaning to do is," He replied.

"Okay," Oliver sighed tiredly, rubbing his eyes, "Hypothetically speaking, you snog this girl you like and she cries because she…" Oliver fiddled awkwardly with the corner of a cushion, "Remembers her boyfriend…" Oliver mumbled the rest, mentally smacking himself for his outright confession. Even Percy was not so thick as to not catch on.

"Sounds serious," Percy muttered; his eyes still on the page of his textbook. Oliver blinked in surprise when Percy failed to react immediately. "Hypothetically, I would take responsibility for my actions,"

Oliver's throat turned dry, "You mean, tell the other bloke?" He asked.

Percy frowned and put down his book, "Wait a minute…" His frown deepened. Oliver's heart sank; Percy must have figured it out. He waited for Percy to call on him for it.

"Hypothetically, how much do I like this girl?" Percy's next question caught Oliver guard. He forced himself to recover and answer.

"A lot…?" Oliver said cautiously. Percy then returned his gaze to his History of Magic textbook. Oliver dare not believe that Percy had not caught on. "Has she told the other bloke?" Percy asked sharply.

"Yeah," Oliver's shoulders sagged, the guilt overwhelming him again. "And she made it out to be her fault,"

"It isn't?" Percy's frown was back on his face.

"Of course," Oliver blurted out. "I was the one- I mean, you were the one who snogged her in the first place right?" His cheeks had one red dot on both sides.

"Right," Percy said absently.

"Well?" Oliver prompted impatiently, "Will you tell the other bloke the truth or not?"

"I suppose," Percy said, "Everyone deserves the truth now and then," Oliver slumped on the sofa, his head was now clear. Coming to a decision, Oliver got to his feet and took his essay.

"Perce…?"

"Hm…?"

"Thanks," Oliver said before going up to the boys' dormitories. Little did Oliver know that once his back was turned, a small knowing smirk appeared on Percy's face.

* * *

Cedric swore to himself to not think about it.

He was going to study for his examinations and he would not think about Ashlyn; would not spare one thought about her. He repeated it in his head like a mantra throughout the morning. Not only that, he had to ensure he did not make a detour to the Hospital Wing after breakfast and lunch. Surrounding himself with friends, Cedric forced himself to act normal; like nothing was wrong.

When everything was bloody wrong.

Cedric winced inwardly when his friends burst out into laughter. "Ced?" Damon asked in concern. "Are you alright?" Cedric immediately relaxed his face to let a broad smile onto his features. Satisfied, his friends resumed their conversation. Having the desire to be left alone, Cedric got to his feet and threw a random excuse at his friends. Hoisting his bag onto his shoulder, Cedric strode towards the Black Lake.

He smiled to himself as he remembered the times he spent with Ashlyn at the edge of the Black Lake. He could nearly picture it now: they were lying down on the grass; Valentine's Day; Ashlyn in his arms, their lips drawing nearer…Cedric shook himself out of his reverie. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Cedric kicked a tuft of grass moodily. He wanted so badly to see Ashlyn again; her smile had the power to make everything feel alright.

Cedric bent down and picked up a round pebble. He swung his hand back and launched the pebble; it skipped on the water surface several times before plopping into the water. Finding it oddly calming, Cedric stooped down to take one more pebble. "Diggory," A familiar voice came from behind Cedric; he knew very well who it was. His hand drew back and Cedric flung the pebble; it fell straight into the lake with a loud splash.

Cedric turned around, a muscle leaping in his jaw. Ignoring the Gryffindor Quidditch captain the best he could, Cedric retrieved his bag and proceeded to walk past the sixth year. "Hey," Oliver flung out an arm to stop him. "I need to talk to you,"

"I have nothing I want to say to you," Cedric retorted coolly. "Now if you'd excuse me," Oliver did not lower his arm. The two boys faced off, daring each other to back down. Oliver eventually let his arm down to let Cedric go. The latter surged forward and was about to start up the hill when Oliver spoke again.

"She lied to you," Oliver called after him, satisfied that it managed to stop Diggory on his tracks. Cedric's mind ran wild as he digested the new piece of information. He slowly turned around to face the Gryffindor.

"What did you say?" Cedric said disbelievingly.

Oliver glanced out at the Black Lake, "Ashlyn lied to you," He repeated. "I was the one who kissed her in the first place." Cedric's head jerked back. "You shouldn't be mad at her,"

Cedric's lip curled, "Why should I trust you?" He demanded. "And what difference does it make? She still kissed you back didn't she?" Seething, Cedric willed himself to keep still and not start towards Oliver to throw a punch.

Oliver walked towards Cedric, bristling slightly, "I really don't care if you believe me or not; but you deserve the truth. You're important to Ashlyn." Oliver stared straight at Cedric unblinkingly. Face flushed, Cedric started back up the hill; berating himself for the less-than-successful exit. Oliver tried again, "She was crying," He said in resignation.

Cedric froze; his back to Oliver. The Gryffindor Quidditch captain pressed on, "She didn't want to hurt you; that is probably the last thing she wanted." Cedric's shoulders sagged. The vision of Ashlyn sobbing on her hospital bed made his heart hurt. Wordlessly, he continued his way; leaving behind the Gryffindor hoping his words did the trick.

* * *

"Spencer, this is getting ridiculous," Madam Pomfrey said severely. "You are to pull yourself together and eat your dinner this instant," She ordered sternly. Ashlyn was rolled onto her side, her back to the Mediwitch; she had not eaten the whole day. Her eyes were red and bloodshot from crying.

"Not hungry," Ashlyn croaked, refusing to face the nurse. Pomfrey sighed gustily and was about to start rebuking the Ravenclaw when there was a knock at the door. Tutting under her breath, Madam Pomfrey left to open the door. Ashlyn sniffled and closed her eyes, trying to sleep. The betrayal in Cedric's eyes burned in her mind's eye, making her flinch. She could hear murmurs and mumbles at the door. Soon, she heard the door close.

"Hey,"

Ashlyn's eyes widened: _Cedric_. She sat up immediately; not daring to believe that he had actually voluntarily stepped back into the Hospital Wing. Cedric felt a pang in his chest as he took in Ashlyn's appearance. Her hair was uncombed, her face was tear-stained and she looked as if she had not slept at all. "Cedric," She whispered. Breaking eye contact for a moment, Cedric drew up a chair next to the foot of her bed; further away than usual. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Ashlyn braced herself for the confrontation.

Cedric shifted uncomfortably; he was unsure on how to begin. "How are you?" He asked hastily to get rid of the heavy silence between them.

"What are you doing here?" She found herself saying.

Cedric looked down intently on his hands. "Wood came to talk to me," He said. Ashlyn felt herself sinking back into her pillows in shock. "He told me."

"What?" Ashlyn blurted out, her stomach clenching, "What did he tell you?" She asked, licking her lips unconsciously.

"That he kissed you first," Cedric replied.

Ashlyn sputtered, "Does that make a difference?" She asked before she could stop herself. Cedric swallowed hesitantly and thought it over.

"Yeah," He said slowly, "Yeah it makes all the difference," He said quietly. Scooting his chair closer, he reached for her hand. "I was mad at you, Ash; but after Wood cleared that up," He hesitated, "I just…"

Ashlyn stared at him in disbelief, "You're…not mad?" She said slowly.

Cedric shrugged helplessly. His feelings to him were hard to explain. He knew he was supposed to be angry but somehow, he just felt at peace with the knowledge. "I'm definitely not pleased but... Wood's a good person," He said quietly. "He'll take care of you."

"Just like that…?" Ashlyn whispered. "You don't hate me?"

Cedric exhaled slowly through his teeth, "I will never hate you, Ash," He said gently. She bit her lower lip as she flung her arms around him; the weight on her shoulders lifted. He wrapped his arms around her waist, listening to her sniffle into his shoulder. "Why do you like to cry so much?" He joked gently, as he pulled away. His thumb brushed the stray tear off her face.

"Shut up," She burbled, rubbing her eyes pathetically. A small smile tugged at the corners of Cedric's face as he tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.

McGonagall's magically magnified voice startled the two of them, "_All students to return to their house dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."_

Ashlyn's gaze turned troubled as Cedric stood up. She grabbed his hand, "Don't go," She implored, "I can't bear being alone," At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled into the Hospital Wing, a worried look on her face.

"Off you go, Diggory," Madam Pomfrey said.

"Please let him stay, Madam Pomfrey," Ashlyn pleaded, "Just for tonight," Ashlyn watched as a myriad of emotions flitted across the matron's face. "Please, Madam Pomfrey…"

"This is ridiculous!" Madam Pomfrey sputtered. "Of course I will not allow that! Diggory, get back to your dormitory!"

"Madam Pomfrey, I would like to stay," Cedric said calmly.

"I will feel better if he's here," Ashlyn added. "Please, Madam Pomfrey."

The matron seemed to be having an internal struggle. Her lips thinned as she regarded the two teenagers. Pomfrey reminded herself that Diggory was a gentleman and that there was nothing to fear about _inappropriate_ behavior. "Very well," Madam Pomfrey said sternly. "I will inform Professor Sprout of your whereabouts, Diggory," She swept out of the Hospital Wing.

Ashlyn edged to one side of the bed as Cedric took off his shoes and robes. He got onto the bed next to her and drew her close to him. He ran his fingers through her hair absentmindedly as she rested her head on his chest. "What do you think happened?" She whispered, her voice quivering slightly with nervousness. His grip on her tightened slightly.

"I don't know," He admitted, "We can only wait." And so they did in companionable silence. Ashlyn actually felt her eyelids droop eventually until the door of the Hospital Wing flew open and slammed shut. Madam Pomfrey's face was so pale that it made Cedric and Ashlyn sit up immediately.

"A student has been taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself," Madam Pomfrey said weakly. Ashlyn shrank back in shock, Cedric supporting her. "Hogwarts will be closing down; all students are being sent home tomorrow," Dabbing lightly at her eyes, Madam Pomfrey tried to compose herself.

"Which student…?" Ashlyn found herself saying, her voice seemed detached from her body.

Madam Pomfrey took in a shuddering breath before she replied, "Ginevra Weasley," Ashlyn's hands flew to her mouth. "Professor Sprout will be here later to finish the Mandrake Draught; at least the Petrified victims will recover by tonight," Sighing heavily, Madam Pomfrey retreated to her office. Cedric gently kissed Ashlyn's temple.

"She's only a first year, Cedric," Ashlyn whispered. Unable to say anything comforting, Cedric wrapped his arms around Ashlyn. "A first year," Ashlyn repeated, helplessness filling up her body.

"It's going to be alright," He promised. With that small reassurance in her heart, Ashlyn closed her eyes. Slowly, she drifted into the world where dreams negated the pain of reality.

* * *

"Ashlyn…Ashlyn…" She heard her name being called; someone was shaking her gently. Her eyes slowly fluttered open. Her vision sharpened and realized that Cedric was wide awake. "Wake up," He was saying, "The monster of the Chamber of Secrets is gone; Hogwarts is not going to close!"

Processing the information, Ashlyn sat up as it hit her. "What?" She gasped. A broad smile was stretching Cedric's mouth as he helped her lean back on her pillows comfortably.

"Pomfrey said Weasley is safe and that the monster is gone," Cedric relayed. "The Mandrake Draught is done too," Feeling relief course through her veins, Ashlyn threw her arms around Cedric. Hogwarts was finally safe again. He pulled away and shifted position to reveal Ginny who was occupying the bed opposite of Ashlyn's.

"Ginny, are you alright?" Ashlyn hurried to the youngest Weasley's side. Ginny smiled weakly and nodded in reply. Ashlyn then proceeded to greet Mr and Mrs. Weasley politely. Very much soon, Ronald Weasley and Lockhart too entered the Hospital Wing.

"Oh ho" Lockhart looked around with interest. "Is _this_ your home? Very nice…" He glanced around and his eyes landed on Ashlyn and Cedric. "Hello! Do I know you?" Lockhart regarded them hazily.

Ashlyn's eyebrow arched with curiosity. Ron lifted his shoulders into a shrug, "It's a long story," He admitted.

"But it's over?" Ashlyn asked hopefully. Ron nodded. "Thank goodness,"

"By the way, Dumbledore said that there will be a feast later on, so you might want to get ready." Ron said helpfully.

"Hey," Cedric placed a hand on Ashlyn's shoulder. "I've got to do something," He told her, "I'll see you in the Great Hall," He hugged her briefly before leaving the Hospital Wing.

"I trust you are feeling better, Spencer?" Madam Pomfrey exited her office. "Good, you and Mr. Weasley can help me administer the dosage of Mandrake Draught to the Petrified victims."

"Of course,"

* * *

Cedric made his way through the corridors. Students had poured in from all corners, celebrating the demise of the Slytherin monster. The teachers had been vague but that was not important; everyone excluding Slytherin celebrated the fact that Hogwarts was not going to close and that Dumbledore was back.

Cedric Diggory, on the other hand, had something entirely different on his mind.

He searched the crowd and fortunately caught sight of the person he was looking for. He weaved through the surge of students and grabbed hold of the person he was looking for. "I need to talk to you,"

Oliver regarded the Hufflepuff for a moment before detaching himself from his friends. The two entered an empty classroom, away from the crowd. "Ashlyn and I have broken up," Cedric said evenly. Oliver's face remained unfathomable. "Now is your chance, don't throw it away," With that hanging in the air, Cedric turned to leave.

Oliver's eyes burned on the door which shut behind Cedric. He pulled himself together before exiting the classroom. Feeling considerably light-headed, Oliver led himself to the Hospital Wing. He hesitantly pushed open the door. There she was; helping Penelope Clearwater sit up. The Mandrake Draught must have just been given out.

Ashlyn clasped Penelope's hand, "It's good to have you back," She said. "All the Ravenclaws have been so worried." The Ravenclaw Prefect smiled gratefully as Ashlyn handed her a glass of water. "I'm sure a lot of people are waiting to see you."

"I won't be the only one," Penelope smiled, tilting her chin over Ashlyn's shoulder. Confused, Ashlyn glanced over her shoulder and saw Oliver standing at the doorway hesitantly. "Go, I'm fine here."

Ashlyn straightened, "Are you sure?" She said carefully; wondering if she was ready to face Oliver now. Penelope nodded and got to her feet, stretching her muscles. She joined Hermione, Justin and Colin who were under Madam Pomfrey's sharp eye. Ashlyn decided to face the inevitable and talk to Oliver. She walked up to him. "Hi," She said.

"Hey," He said softly. "Will you talk to me?" His gaze shifted over her shoulder. She turned and saw Penelope, Ginny and Hermione eyeing them with interest. She let out a short laugh before nodding. He led her out of the Hospital Wing and next to the window. "Diggory told me that the two of you…" Oliver's voice trailed off.

Ashlyn crossed her arms over her chest to keep warm, "Yeah we did," She replied simply.

Oliver paused for a moment, "Ash, about that day-"

Ashlyn interrupted, "Would it surprise you if I wanted to apologize first?" She said. Oliver shrugged, a bit taken aback. "Well, I shouldn't have yelled at you, making it out as if it was your fault…" Ashlyn shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably. "I'm sorry," She glanced up at him, her head tilting to the side.

"I'm sorry too," Oliver murmured. He slowly moved his hand up, the backs of his fingers brushing her face. She took a small step back.

"Listen, about us," Ashlyn was saying. Oliver felt the most curious feeling spread all over his body when she said 'us'. "Cedric and I just broke up, so can we start slow?" She asked.

Oliver smiled slowly, "Of course," He said, "If that is what you want," A beautiful smile appeared on Ashlyn's face; the smile he had been waiting to see.

They headed to the Great Hall to have one of the greatest feasts in history. It lasted all night; everyone was in their pajamas and spirits were high. The Petrified victims were welcomed back; Hagrid returned to the teachers' table and Lockhart was not going to teach Defence against the Dark Arts anymore. The cherry on the top was that the exams were cancelled as a school treat.

Hogwarts was back to normal. News of Ashlyn and Cedric's break-up spread through the school like a wildfire. But their lack of animosity towards each other mystified the school. "Hey," Cedric said as he approached Ashlyn. He kissed her briefly on the temple as a greeting. They had just got off the Hogwarts Express that brought back to London.

"Oy," Oliver bristled slightly. "What was that for?"

Cedric shrugged, "Keeps them guessing," Ashlyn laughed as she saw a group of girls start gossiping furiously, debating whether the kiss was completely platonic or a disguised gesture of hidden feelings.

"Remember to write!" She called after him as he left. He lifted his hand in farewell and disappeared past the barrier. "Well?" She glanced up at Oliver slyly. "Will I be seeing you during this summer?"

Oliver looked thoughtful, "I suppose I could slip you into my incredibly busy schedule…" Ashlyn punched his arm, making him let out a laugh. "Of course you'll be seeing me," He bent down slightly, his breath caressing her cheek gently. "Count on it," With that, he kissed her on the lips.

"I will,"

* * *

End!

Hope that was not too fast for you guys? Let me know. Anyway how's that! One year is over and it is going to be purely Ashlyn/Oliver from the next chapter on! Amazing isn't it? But I have to admit, this chapter was pretty difficult to write. I took in a lot of factors, considered a lot of things etc and everything drove me crazy. But I am so glad this chapter is over and done with; am quite proud of it myself. And do take note, the summary is going to change since the Cedric/Ashlyn thing is over.

Hope this makes you happy, **MainlyMaddison**. I just HAD to make Ashlyn and Cedric remain as friends; it would not feel right if Cedric remained mad at her forever. Hey **jess**, hope this cheers you up a whole lot. I'm glad you like Raine; I like her too. Thanks for the explanation, **UnGiornoPerNoi**! Now that I understand it; it really is a beautiful name. Haha hope this is enough for you,** Lotti6369**; do you think that Cedric gave up too soon? I mean, if I made him fight for Ashlyn; I would have angry reviewers pouring in demanding for Oliver/Ashlyn. So I hope you understand! He did not give up really, he just wants Ashlyn to be happy. (Darn, I really want my own Cedric and Oliver...)

I think I don't have the guts to confess either, **KristyT23**. I mean, I would I guess eventually; but it would take me some time. Hope you are having a good day, yeah? Haha thanks for your little reviews, **Lift the Wings**; means a lot to me. Yeah **rukia23**, the freak-out pissed me off loads; I wanted to update so badly but they did not let me. Haha I hope you liked this chapter! Hi **VampireWithTheGoldenEyes**! Welcome; many people here prefer Oliver to Cedric, so you'll fit right in! Ohh I hope you are having a good day, **Toolazytologin**! I love it when you guys tell me that updates make your days better. Not that I like you guys having bad days, it's just...Oh well, you know what I mean!

Tsk tsk, **williammoseleysgirl**. I can practically FEEL your evilness radiating from the States! (That is a lie alright) Haha! Where did you go, **HeeHeeHee01**? You didn't review the previous chapter so I thought something happened! But you're back and that is what matters. Hey **OceanSapphire**, hope you liked this chapter! Anyway, Raine despises Oliver because he has always been blind to Ashlyn's affections; making her depressed and all. Then when Cedric came along and made Ashlyn happy, Oliver stepped in; you know all the rest. Did you get that? It's a loyalty-friendship thing. Haha **StarletSpotlight**, Oliver has indeed moooooooved in there (wherever there is). Hope you liked this chapter!

I had to make Oliver confront Cedric, **Kopycat**. It would make more sense since Oliver had to prove himself. Hope your wish came true, **Lean Ayres**! Now that Cedric has forgiven Ashlyn and they are friends PLUS definitely Oliver/Ashlyn from now on! **KENYAAAAAAAAAA**!!!! I speak for myself when I say that I missed you! Such a pity your computer had a virus. But could you review all the previous chapters PLEASE??? It would mean a lot!!!

I couldn't possibly make Cedric and Oliver get into a fist-fight, **Ami-Weasley**! It would be too OOC, don't you think? Yeah hopefully now that everything has smoothed out, maybe Raine will be a bit more accomandating to Oliver. We'll see, won't we? Hey, **Rationally Irrational**! Love your name by the way. I am definitely going to write more. Remember, this is not the end. Everyone knows the saying: The course of true love never did run smooth. Oliver and Ashlyn's relationship is definitely going to have a few bumps along the way, so stay tuned!

(If you noticed, every reviewers name is here this time!)

Please review!


	16. Year 3 Chapter 16: Company

So the saga continues! I want to express my sincere thanks to my reviewers who have been giving me the energy and encouragement throughout all this. Thank you; **UnGiornoPerNoi**, **rukia23**, **ciara512**, **ScarletRoseX**, **KristyT23**, **Manic-Cheese-Fairy**, **VampireWithTheGoldenEyes**, **Lift the Wings**, **Rationally Irrational**, **jess**, **Lean Ayres**, **MainlyMaddison**, **OceanSapphire**, **Kenya**, **Lotti6369**, **HeeHeeHee01**, **Ami-Weasley** and **shadowkid1313**. But the resident Ms. Evil seems to have disappeared somewhere...where ARE you, **williammoseleysgirl**????

Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood – Second Year

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy – Third Year

Katie Bell, Cho Chang – Fourth Year

Ashlyn Spencer, Raine Lee, Fred & George Weasley, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Cedric Diggory – Fifth Year

Roger Davies, Penelope Clearwater – Sixth Year

Oliver Wood, Percy Weasley – Seventh Year

Alright, you guys. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

It was the summer and Ashlyn Spencer was bored.

She flipped through her History of Magic textbook listlessly. Since magic was not allowed to be used during the holidays, Ashlyn was unable to catch up on Defence against the Dark Arts. Groaning, she rested her head on her right hand as she read about witch burnings. Soon, her mind wandered as she stared blankly at a space. She was so engrossed that she did not hear the door open to let someone in.

It was only when the intruder bent down to whisper in her ear, "Thinking of me?"

She yelped and spun around wildly. It was only Oliver; a broad smile spread across his face in amusement. "Ever heard of knocking?" Ashlyn clutched her chest, trying to smooth her heartbeat. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!" She accused as she stood up to welcome him.

"I warned you about locking your door," Oliver said as he bent down to kiss her. His lips met hers, making her knees buckle slightly. Ashlyn could hardly believe this was happening to her. Last year around this time, she was wondering how on Earth she was going to get more of Oliver's attention. Pulling away, Oliver wrapped an arm around her waist as he flicked his wand lazily at the door; locking it.

"Stop showing off," She scowled with jealousy at his ability to cast magic now that he was seventeen. "Finally remembered about me, eh?" Ashlyn asked as she led him to her room.

Oliver glanced at her incredulously, "I saw you two weeks ago!" He protested as he took a seat on her bed.

"Two weeks isn't exactly a breeze," Ashlyn shot back. Oliver's face cleared and he chuckled.

"If you missed me, why don't you say so?" He teased; spreading his arm out so Ashlyn could slip into his embrace. She scoffed as they leaned back onto the pillows.

"As if," She muttered as she snuggled closer to him. "I just needed some entertainment that's all," Ashlyn sighed in contentment as she breathed in Oliver's scent of earth and pine. "After all, my parents aren't home; Raine is off in France and the Weasleys are in Egypt," She muttered, burrowing further Oliver's embrace; a tinge of forlornness in her voice.

Oliver softened. Tightening his grip around her, he gently kissed her temple comfortingly. Sensing his intention, Ashlyn schooled herself back to normal. "How's Quidditch anyway?" She asked quickly.

"Alright," Oliver replied. "Ravenclaw won't stand a chance," He teased good-naturedly. Ashlyn rolled her eyes and dealt a short blow to Oliver's shoulder. He gasped in mock-pain and tousled Ashlyn's hair in retaliation. Before she could pay him back in kind, Oliver interrupted her, "We've got company," He was looking over her shoulder.

Ashlyn glanced around. Two owls were waiting patiently on her window sill, letters tied to their legs. "This isn't over," She warned Oliver before climbing off the amused Gryffindor Quidditch captain. One owl she recognized that belonged to Cedric; the other she had not seen before. Once she took the letters, the unfamiliar owl flew off; leaving Cedric's owl behind. She stroked its feathers gently; it let out a thankful hoot.

"Who is it?" Oliver asked, still lying fully stretched on Ashlyn's bed as he watched her tear open one letter.

"Hogwarts," Ashlyn muttered, sitting on the edge of her bed as she opened her Hogwarts letter first. "Booklist and all-" Her voice trailed off as a badge fell on the palm of her hand. Oliver sat up; he caught the word 'Prefect' glittering on the blue background. How could he forget; he saw the same badge on Percy only that the background was red with a lion. "Oh my god," Ashlyn whispered.

"Prefect," Oliver said with wonderment. Ashlyn's stunned gaze met Oliver's. "You're a Prefect," He repeated.

"I-I don't believe this; there must be some mistake," Ashlyn said shakily. "Oliver-" Before she could continue, Oliver leaned forward and kissed her, effectively silencing her. "What was that for?" She murmured as he pulled away.

"Congratulations," Oliver said with his crooked smile. "My girl, a Prefect," He pushed her hair to one side and kissed her neck lightly. "Who would have thought?"

"Exactly," Ashlyn sighed, "I mean, don't you think it would make more sense if it was given to Raine? I mean-" Oliver placed a finger on her lips, shaking his head before Ashlyn could finish.

"Flitwick obviously chose the person he thought was capable," Oliver argued. "Don't think otherwise, hear?" He said mock-sternly. "And if the Weasley twins say something about it, I'll make them do fifty laps before our first Quidditch practice," He kissed Ashlyn's cheek gently; his words making her smile. "Who's the other letter from?"

"Cedric," Ashlyn said as she opened the letter. She scanned the contents quickly. "He's the Hufflepuff Prefect," Ashlyn told Oliver, "AND Hufflepuff Quidditch captain," Ashlyn's eyebrows shot up as she whistled, "Wow, Cedric's dad must be over the moon."

Oliver grumbled under his breath. He could not help but feel a twinge of jealousy when the subject turned to the Hufflepuff Seeker. Now, Diggory was Hufflepuff Prefect and Quidditch captain; Oliver knew he definitely paled in comparison. Catching the look on his face, Ashlyn felt a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She swooped down and kissed his cheek. "What was that for?" He mimicked her earlier question.

"Oh nothing," Ashlyn said innocently. Oliver grinned and reached for her. "Not now," She said distractedly as her attention returned to Cedric's letter. "Cedric invited my parents and me over for dinner and I have to reply immediately." Slipping out of Oliver's grip, Ashlyn slid onto her chair and reached for parchment.

Oliver silently cursed Cedric. Getting off the bed, he wandered over to Ashlyn who was bent over the parchment. Plucking the quill out of her hand, Oliver scribbled a quick reply on the parchment. Ignoring Ashlyn's protests, Oliver tied the reply to the owl's leg and sent it off. "Oliver!" Ashlyn cried; half-annoyed, half-amused. "What did you do that for??"

"Because I've got a few hours until your mother comes back and I want every, single minute with you," Oliver said, pulling Ashlyn onto his lap. The blood rushed to Ashlyn's head so quickly that she felt giddy as Oliver left a trail of kisses along her collarbone.

"Not until I send a note to my mum," She said, attempting to inject some finality into her voice. "I'm serious," Ashlyn murmured, just as Oliver's lips brushed against hers. "I mean, Cedric's dad has probably told my dad but no one has told my mum-" Ashlyn's voice trailed off.

"Fine," Oliver growled, reluctantly letting go of her. Grinning, Ashlyn got to her feet; pulling Oliver up. He sat on her desk chair and allowed her to sit on his knees to write her note to her mother. Ashlyn simply scrawled '_Dinner at the Diggorys later_' before calling the family owl. After seeing the owl off, Ashlyn slipped back into Oliver's embrace.

"Alright," She smiled up at him, "I'm all yours,"

At the same time, Cedric's owl was nearing another house in Ottery St. Catchpole. It soared through the air and eventually fluttered onto the ground where a boy was reading a book on the grass. Cedric glanced up from the page as his owl hooted softly. Untying the parchment from its leg, Cedric absently stroked his owl's feathers. "Good work," He murmured. The note read:

_Hey Cedric, I have loads to tell you _**later. She'll see you at dinner. Damn it, Diggory; could you have picked a better time to send a letter? It's MY time with Ashlyn. See you in Hogwarts. – O. Wood**

Cedric could only laugh.

* * *

"Okay, now get out of here!" Ashlyn hissed as she tried to push Oliver out of the house. But the Quidditch captain stayed adamant about spending every possible minute with her. "My mum will be back any second now!" She swallowed the giggle that threatened to escape as Oliver's hands swept past her ticklish areas. "Oliver Wood!" Ashlyn yelled loudly, "I'm going to hex you if you don't-"

"Ah, don't say anything you'll regret later," Oliver cut in, grinning wickedly. His lips fell onto the heated skin of her neck, moving teasingly to the back of her ear. The scent of apples invaded Oliver's senses; the reason why it was so intoxicating was beyond him.

"Oliver," Ashlyn struggled to keep her mind on-track. "We've already had one too many close shaves; will you PLEASE get going? Or I won't wash with the apple shampoo ever again-" Ashlyn quickly threw out a random threat. Not expecting it to work, Ashlyn was surprised to see Oliver immediately back off.

"You wouldn't," Oliver said, horrified. Then realizing how silly he must have looked, he smoothed his features, "No need to get rash, eh?" He laughed nervously as a sly smile spread across Ashlyn's face. "I'll be going," He said quickly, holding up his hands in surrender. Leaning forward, he kissed her briefly on the lips.

With that, Oliver Apparated; leaving his girlfriend's house. No wonder he was so reluctant to leave; he was able to Apparate! Tutting under her breath, Ashlyn returned to the house. Just then, there was another loud crack and Ashlyn's mother appeared, carrying a bouquet of flowers. "I got your note," Mrs. Spencer said breezily.

"Hi, mum," Ashlyn said; thanking the skies that Oliver had gone on time. She closed the door behind her mother and followed the latter to the kitchen.

"We'll be meeting your father at the Diggorys," Mrs. Spencer said. She spotted two mugs on the table, "Did you have someone over?" Mrs. Spencer asked distractedly.

"Yeah," Ashlyn raked her brain for an excuse, "Since Raine's off in France; I got Angelina over here," Ashlyn lied.

"That's nice," Mrs. Spencer said vaguely. "You better go get ready, Ashlyn. We will be Apparating to the Diggorys soon." Ashlyn nodded and complied. Once she was ready, the older woman took her daughter by Side-Along Apparition. They arrived at the Diggorys; Ashlyn clutching the bouquet of flowers. Mrs. Spencer knocked on the door. It swung open to reveal a blonde woman who had a smile that matched Cedric's.

"Hello! You must be Ashlyn," Mrs. Diggory exclaimed. "Cedric speaks most highly of you." Mrs. Diggory turned to Mrs. Spencer, "I don't know if Will has told you but I am Jillian Diggory,"

"Gloria Spencer," Mrs. Spencer said. "You have a lovely home," She said as Mrs. Diggory led them in.

"Thank you; please wait for a moment," Mrs. Diggory held up a finger, "Cedric! Ashlyn and her mother are here!!" A muffled reply came from the top of the stairs. "He'll be down soon," Mrs. Diggory assured Ashlyn who remembered the flowers. "They're beautiful; I'll go put them in a vase,"

Pounding on the stairs announced Cedric's arrival. He had grown taller, Ashlyn noticed. Finally on the bottom of the stairs, Cedric swept Ashlyn into a hug. He still smelled of amber and citrus. "Nice to see you too," Ashlyn gasped at his enthusiastic greeting. Remembering himself, Cedric immediately let go of her. His face was considerably pink.

"Mrs. Spencer," He stuck out his hand. "It's good to see you," He said hurriedly. Mrs. Spencer extended her hand, an amused look on her face. Looking back and forth at the Diggory boy and her daughter, Mrs. Spencer shook his hand.

"I shall go help your mother in the kitchen," Mrs. Spencer said pointedly at her daughter. Once she was out of earshot, Ashlyn chortled.

"What a mess," Ashlyn sighed in resignation. "She'll be feeding your mum with the idea of matchmaking us soon."

"Not such a bad idea," Cedric said, his grey eyes sparkling mischievously. After punching him lightly, Ashlyn let him drape his arm around her shoulders. "Your note said you had loads to tell me," Cedric pressed, leading her outside to wait for their fathers.

"Actually, it's just one thing," Ashlyn admitted. "Flitwick, in a moment of madness, chose me as Prefect and I haven't told my parents yet," The familiar broad smile stretched across Cedric's face. He kissed her on her temple in congratulations.

"I haven't told my parents either," Cedric reassured. They sat down on the front lawn and watched out for their fathers. Ashlyn leaned against Cedric comfortably as they waited. The evening air was cool and the crickets began their quiet symphony. Soon, their patience was rewarded when there were two simultaneous cracks; Mr. Diggory and Mr. Spencer appeared. "Dad," Cedric got to his feet.

"Cedric, m' boy," Mr. Diggory said cheerfully and held up a hand before Cedric could speak, "Would you get a bottle of Firewhiskey for Will here," Mr Diggory patted Mr. Spencer's back. "S'pect the Dementors got to him…" Ashlyn rushed to her father and realized he looked a little too pale.

"Dad…?" Ashlyn asked worriedly, finding out that he was shivering. She and Mr. Diggory supported the Auror into the house. Once Mr. Spencer was seated at the dining table, Cedric reappeared with a bottle of Firewhiskey. Mr. Diggory twisted the top open and placed it in front of Mr. Spencer. Murmuring thanks, Mr. Spencer downed a considerable amount of the alcohol before he stopped shaking. Ashlyn and Cedric exchanged glances as he squeezed her hand comfortingly.

"Will…?" Mrs. Spencer said with concern.

"I'll be fine," Mr. Spencer said, waving his hand vaguely. "Thank you, Amos," Mr. Spencer raised the bottle of Firewhiskey at Mr. Diggory before taking another drink. He rose to his feet and turned to Mrs. Diggory, "Good to see you again, Jillian," Then, he looked at Cedric, "You must be Cedric," The two males shook hands, "Amos speaks of you very frequently."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir," Cedric replied. Amos beamed with obvious pride.

"Amos, this is my wife; Gloria," Mr. Spencer wrapped his left around his wife's waist, "And my daughter, Ashlyn," He gently propelled his daughter forward.

"Charmed, madams," Mr. Diggory said gaily; his eyes lingering a moment too long on Ashlyn. "Shall we start dinner then?" Ushering his guests to their seats, Mr. Diggory then helped his wife bring out the food.

"Are you sure you're alright, Dad?" Ashlyn asked, refusing to discard her worries. "What were you doing with Dementors?" Mr. Spencer patted his daughter's shoulder in response.

"All will be explained soon," Mr. Spencer said grimly. "Let's have a pleasant dinner first," Cutlery clicked as delicious aromas filled the dining room. Mrs. Diggory, Ashlyn found out, was an exceptional cook. Soon, all the food was consumed and the plates were cleared.

"I think the evening edition of the Daily Prophet will be coming soon, Amos," Mr. Spencer said. Cedric and Ashlyn glanced at him in confusion. Mr. Diggory nodded and stood up. It was as if it was scripted; an owl carrying a newspaper tapped on the window with its beak. Mrs. Diggory took the paper and paid the owl five Knuts. She spread the paper on the table and everyone leaned in to read the headlines.

'AZKABAN BREAKOUT' The headline screamed. 'BLACK STILL AT LARGE' Ashlyn read the article, her eyes widening as it landed on the picture of Sirius Black. He looked deranged, screaming and struggling to get out of his chains. "No way," Ashlyn gasped. "How could anyone break out of Azkaban without assistance?"

Mr. Spencer nodded seriously, "That is what the Ministry has been trying to figure out. I happened to go to Azkaban today," Mr. Spencer shuddered inwardly. "Nasty place to be in; the Dementors are out for blood,"

Ashlyn and Cedric glanced at each other at the same time. "Isn't managing the Dementors part of your expertise, Dad?" Cedric turned to his father.

"That's right, m' boy," Mr. Diggory said, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "The Dementors are furious; no one has managed to slip past them before. Not the most pleasant of creatures but someone has to guard Azkaban," There was a heavy silence in the air before Ashlyn spoke.

"So what's happening in the Ministry? Are Dementors being posted to Hogwarts?" Ashlyn asked.

"Dumbledore is against the idea of Dementors at the school but Fudge sees it as a necessary procedure for your safety," Mr. Spencer said. "There is no need to worry," A small smile crossed Mr. Spencer's face. "You have your OWLs this term."

"Speaking of Hogwarts," Cedric looked meaningfully at Ashlyn, "Ashlyn and I have been chosen to become Prefects." There was a shift in atmosphere. Mr. Diggory let out a proud yell as identical smiles appeared on the other three adults' faces.

Mr. Diggory pulled Cedric into a father-son hug while Mr. Spencer stared at his daughter with such pride that it made Ashlyn's heart soar. "Is that true? You've been made a Prefect?" Ashlyn nodded as her mother kissed her cheek. "That's wonderful; I'm so proud of you." Mr. Spencer hugged his daughter. Feeling warmth gush up her entire being, Ashlyn felt more confident now.

"Not only that, Cedric's been made Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain too," Ashlyn pointed out.

"THAT'S MY BOY!" Mr. Diggory roared, seizing his son into another hug. "This calls for a celebration," Mr. Diggory concluded as he finally let go of Cedric. Taking out his wand, he summoned four bottles of Firewhiskey and two bottles of Butterbeer. "To Cedric and Ashlyn," Mr. Diggory toasted the both of them.

Drinking her Butterbeer, Ashlyn could not help but feel like she just had the best summer ever.

* * *

"Well," Ashlyn laughed softly as she and Cedric wandered out to the front lawn, "Your dad sure knows how to throw a party," She joked. Mr. Diggory, in his jubilation at his son's progress, had gotten quite tipsy and had to lie down after leaping all around the house.

Cedric chuckled and glanced behind. Ashlyn's parents were still talking to his mother. "He definitely blows things out of proportion," Cedric said, shaking his head slightly. "He acted as if I defeated You-Know-Who or something." He said, slight embarrassment in his voice.

"He's proud of you," Ashlyn punched his arm lightly. "And besides, Prefect AND Quidditch captain is definitely something to be proud of." Ashlyn smiled at Cedric, "Since you're so painfully modest, your dad probably thought he ought to be proud of you on your behalf."

"Heh," Cedric grinned before his expression faded to a small smile. "I'm happy for you," He said simply. Ashlyn blinked at him in confusion.

"For what exactly…?" Ashlyn inquired.

"Your dad was really proud," Cedric said.

A shy smile crossed Ashlyn's face. "You think so?" She said, suppressing the excitement bubbling up inside of her.

Cedric slung an arm around her shoulders. "Definitely,"

* * *

End.

Got a terrible cold that has been driving me nuts. But I am definitely happy to get this chapter out.

I'm so happy you guys liked the idea of Ashlyn and Cedric staying friends. I must admit though, **Ami-Weasley**, their break-up was pretty fast and not-all obvious. The part where they 'parted ways' (sounds much better, don't you think?) is when Cedric said that 'Wood is a good person, he will take care of you.' That is sort of saying that Cedric is trusting Oliver to take over and hence, Cedric is stepping back. Hope you get it now.

Hey** ScarletRoseX**! Where have you been? You didn't review the previous chapter if I'm not wrong(: But it's good to see you back. Thing is, you mixed up Raine and Ashlyn. Oliver is now with ASHLYN, not Raine. Thanks for the review; hope you liked this chapter! Don't you think a fight would be a little too out-of-character, **KristyT23**? I actually wanted to say Cedric punched Oliver but then, Cedric is a gentleman; he won't fight unless he couldn't help it. That's what I think of Cedric anyway.

I'm glad you agree with me about them staying friends, **VampireWithTheGoldenEyes**. The third book has always been my favourite too! Sadly, I gave it away to my cousin who has lost it so I might your help if I need some quotes! Haha you know I love you too, **jess**. I liked ending too; it was already in my head before I started writing! I'm a bit jealous of Ashlyn too, **Lean Ayres**. I mean, who wouldn't want Oliver Wood right? Hey thanks for telling me that everyone is in character, **OceanSapphire**! Means a lot to me.

**Kenya**! Of course I missed you! Why wouldn't I? You've always been reviewing and it has always made me happy to see your review. Thanks for reviewing the rest of the chapters. You're wonderful. Haha it will definitely not be smooth sailing, **Lotti6369**. Now I'm trying to make Cedric and Oliver be at least civil in each other's presence. Aw, why don't you go back and review that chapter, **HeeHeeHee01**? I would have loved to see that review filled with hyperness and and 'other reviewy stuff'. Think about it, alright? Thanks for the kind review, **shadowkid1313**! Haha although I am pretty sure I will not be doing a M rated scene; it's good to know you think I'm talented enough to do it! Haha but we'll see I guess. Keep reviewing, won't you?

Okay please do review you guys. And on another note; PLEASE REVIEW MY OTHER HP FIC 'NOTHING EVER HURT LIKE YOU'. I need feedback. Only have 7 reviews and 96 hits. Come on!


	17. Chapter 17: Don't Worry About A Thing

Something must have happened this week because reviews have been few and far in between. So that definitely was a downer. BUT nonetheless, I would still like to thank those who did not let me down: **Ami-Weasley**, **OceanSapphire**, **Lean Ayres**, **KristyT23**, **ScarletRoseX**, **jess**, **VampireWithTheGoldenEyes**, **MainlyMaddison**, **Lift the Wings**, **williammoseleysgirl**, **Kenya**, **shadowkid1313** and **rukia23**. Thanks you guys. Which reminds me that I forgot to mention in the previous chapter: my dear **Toolazytologin**! If you're there, I'm sorry for forgetting to mention your name! Do review if you're there. And the rest like **UnGiornoPerNoi**, **Lotti6369** and **HeeHeeHee01**(:

Alright on with Chapter Seventeen!

* * *

The one thing about Oliver Wood that could not be changed was his love for Quidditch.

Ashlyn knew that as a fact. And so, she was not surprised when Oliver dragged her to Quality Quidditch Supplies the moment they stepped into Diagon Alley. With the excitement like a little boy in Honeydukes, Oliver led his girlfriend towards his favorite store in the whole of Diagon Alley. There it was, the brand-new Firebolt which Oliver had seen in the Daily Prophet. "Isn't it beautiful?" Oliver murmured; more to himself. Ashlyn let out a laugh, shaking her head in amusement. "Go on; look at it," He pulled her in front of him for her to look at the Firebolt.

Ashlyn had to admit that the Firebolt was definitely something to admire. It was sleek and shiny; and it seemed to be vibrating with energy very slightly. "Wow," Ashlyn said with obvious awe. Oliver grinned and ushered her into the store.

"Eh, back again, Wood?" The shopkeeper teased. "And you brought a girl this time!"

"Dan," Oliver slapped the shopkeeper's back before Oliver turned to Ashlyn, "Ash, Dan here runs the best shop in Diagon Alley. Dan, this is Ashlyn," Ashlyn smiled benignly as she shook Dan's hand.

"He only says that because it's the ONLY shop he would voluntarily step into," Dan joked. "Bet you came here to admire the Firebolt," He led the two to the back. "Just arrived; made of ash wood treated with diamond hard polish, tail of birch twigs. Able to go from naught to one hundred and fifty miles per hour in ten seconds," There was definitely excitement in Dan's voice as he showed them the Firebolt up close.

"Is there no chance of testing it out?" Oliver asked; a note of longing in his voice as he held the Firebolt.

A sympathetic smile slid onto Dan's face, "You know I can't," He took the Firebolt back from Oliver and handed it to Ashlyn. She felt a sudden rush of heat throughout her body as she held the Firebolt. "It is something, ain't it?" Dan asked as he watched her.

"Definitely," Ashlyn said as she returned the Firebolt. "Cheer up," She smiled up at Oliver as she slipped her hand into his. "The broom has got nothing to do with the player's talent." Oliver sighed heavily in reply. "Your Cleansweep Seven is perfectly in order, if I remember correctly."

"But having a better broom will help," He shot back.

"Cleansweep Sevens are decent enough, Wood," Dan piped up. "Listen to your girlfriend, eh?" Dan winked lasciviously at Ashlyn, making her turn pink with embarrassment. Oliver's arm slid around her waist immediately, almost protectively. Dan held up his hands in mock-surrender, "I got it, I got it," He said quickly.

"See you next time, Dan," Oliver waved carelessly at the shopkeeper as he opened the door for Ashlyn. "Bloody git," Oliver muttered once the door closed behind them.

"There's the Weasleys!" Ashlyn pointed at the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron, hoping she could distract Oliver from losing his temper. The two made their way through the crowd towards the Weasleys. "Hello, Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley," Ashlyn greeted the Weasley parents politely.

"Hello, dear," Mrs. Weasley smiled kindly at her, "Oh and it is good to see you too; Oliver." She said to the Gryffindor Quidditch captain. "Got all your books already?"

"Yeah," Ashlyn replied, grinning as the twins caught sight of her. "How was Egypt? I saw the article in the Daily Prophet."

"It was brilliant," Ron piped up by his mother's side. "You should go there sometime," He said earnestly.

"Thanks Ron," Ashlyn said, a bit surprised. Noticing he was accompanied by Hermione and Harry, she turned to them, "Hey Hermione, Harry; alright there?" They nodded in reply.

"Bet you missed us, eh?" Fred said, slinging an arm around her shoulder. "Wish we could have brought a mummy back for you, but we weren't allowed. Such a terrible pity,"

"Thanks for thinking of me over there," Ashlyn rolled her eyes.

George noticed Oliver lingering behind Ashlyn. He spread his arms as he walked towards his Quidditch captain. "Oliver! You look incredibly spiffing today!" George said enthusiastically. "How has it been going with our girl, Ashlyn? Hope you two have been behaving." George wagged a finger at Oliver.

"George!" Mrs. Weasley said sternly. George immediately fell silent. "There's no need to answer George, Oliver," Mrs. Weasley said; a steely glint in her eye as she looked at her son.

"No problem, Mrs. Weasley," Oliver swallowed the chuckle lodged in his throat.

"Oh and did you know?" Mrs. Weasley beamed at Oliver, "Percy has been chosen to become Head Boy!" Turning away to find her third son, Mrs. Weasley called, "Percy! Oliver is here! Isn't it wonderful?" Mrs. Weasley asked proudly.

"Yeah," Oliver said, not really surprised. "He worked really hard for it." Mrs. Weasley beamed once more, ignoring the twins who started to fake-vomit. Percy eventually emerged, regarding Ashlyn and Oliver pompously.

"Wood," Percy shook his hand seriously, "Spencer," He nodded at Ashlyn.

"We tried shutting him in a pyramid," George whispered to Ashlyn. "But Mum caught us."

"Ah congratulations on becoming Head Boy, Perce," Oliver said quickly, stifling his chuckle as he had overheard what George had said.

"Yeah, there's really no better person for the job," Ashlyn chimed in, forcing herself not to cry out as Fred's elbow dug into her ribs.

Percy turned to face her, "And I will be counting on your assistance, Spencer. Seeing that _you_ have become a Ravenclaw Prefect," Fred and George's jaws dropped. Ashlyn cursed mentally as she struggled to keep smiling.

"You're a PREFECT??" Fred and George cried together.

"Congratulations, Ashlyn!" Mrs. Weasley said warmly, hugging the girl. Even Ron and Ginny looked stunned at the news. "I'm sure you'll be a marvelous Prefect."

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Ashlyn said weakly.

"But only prats become Prefects!" Fred said incredulously. Ashlyn had to laugh as Mrs. Weasley shushed her son. "Blimey, Ash; you mean you've got a clean record?"

"Why shouldn't I?" Ashlyn shot back, "My key policy: Don't ever get caught," That cracked the twins and Oliver up while Percy and Mrs. Weasley looked pained. "Sorry Mrs. Weasley," Ashlyn said hurriedly, "Just a small joke,"

"We should be going off now," Oliver placed his hand on the small of Ashlyn's back. The two bid goodbye to the Weasleys with Fred and George wolf-whistling after them. Oliver steered her away towards Florean Fortescue's Ice-cream Parlour. They ordered a hot fudge sundae and sat down at one corner. "I say they took it quite well," Oliver commented as he dug into the sundae.

"I guess," Ashlyn said, shrugging her shoulders. "But I think they'll be giving me a hard time at the start," She shuddered inwardly at the prospects.

"What do you have to worry about when you have me?" Oliver said; his crooked smile on his face as he wrapped his arm around her waist. Ashlyn snorted as she took another scoop of ice-cream.

"Oh yeah," She said, sarcasm in her tone, "Where _were_ you when Fred said only prats become Prefects, hm?" She raised a slender eyebrow at him. Oliver laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Kidding," She reminded him before pecking his cheek.

"I know you are,"

* * *

Raine glanced up at the Hogwarts Express. Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was full of wizards and witches; old and new. Chatter and laughter filled the air. "Raine!!" Ashlyn's voice broke through the noise. Raine smiled as she hugged her best friend, but her smile slipped a notch when she caught sight of Wood behind her.

Raine reminded herself to remain at least civil in Wood's presence. He did, after all, admit the truth to Diggory. Ashlyn did keep her updated on how Oliver has been treating her; and well, Raine knew as long as Ashlyn was happy, she should be too. "Hey, how have you been?" Raine asked warmly. "Wood," She said coolly when Oliver came into ear-shot.

"Lee," Oliver nodded in acknowledgement.

"Congratulations on becoming Prefect," Raine said to Ashlyn, smiling smugly.

"How did you know? I didn't tell you," Ashlyn said flabbergasted. "Oh wait, George told you, didn't he? I have a bone to pick with you about that. Why wouldn't Flitwick choose you as Prefect? I mean you have a clean record just like I do and it's just ridiculous why you weren't chosen-" Raine had to laugh; whenever Ashlyn got agitated, she would get into one of her rants.

"Ash, George didn't tell me." Raine said calmly, "I used simple logic. When I didn't get the letter, I used the process of elimination. Ella would not be chosen because she never listens to the teachers; Kelsey got caught using magic along the corridors and Cara is struggling with her subjects," The three of them got onto the train to find a compartment.

"Then what about you? I don't recall you getting into trouble!" Ashlyn pointed out indignantly.

"Give it up, Ash," Fred's voice floated from behind them. "You're a Prefect; nothing's going to change that," Fred sniggered as they trooped into a compartment. George grinned as he made his way towards Raine, kissing her on the lips briefly.

"Sorry, Ash," Raine said, "But I had to go for detention last year," Raine and George shared a look, "I didn't tell you about it because there's really no reason to," Raine shrugged noncommittally. Ashlyn's jaw dropped. Remembering herself, she closed her mouth and huffed; making Oliver chuckle softly.

"See you later, _Prefect_," Fred called after her as she shut the compartment door. Sighing, Ashlyn made her way towards the Prefects' compartment. Before she entered, she took a deep breath and slid the door open.

"Spence," A familiar voice greeted her. It was Jeremy Stretton, her fellow Ravenclaw Chaser. Ashlyn blinked at astonishment as Jeremy stood up to hug her. "How have you been? A bit crazy, eh?" He said as he pulled away, "Who would have thought; me, a Prefect." Jeremy said, poking Ashlyn gently in the ribs.

"Same here," Ashlyn said, relief gushing up inside of her. She was comfortable around Jeremy, and he was a fun person to be with. "How were you able to stay out of trouble?" She joked.

"Hey," Jeremy said, mock-offended, "I am _always_ well-behaved," He defended himself. Then a sly smiled crossed his face, "Or maybe it's because I never get caught." The two slapped hands and laughed. The compartment door slid open again to reveal Cedric, accompanied by a girl that Ashlyn guessed was the other Hufflepuff Prefect.

"Hey," Cedric hugged her. "Weasley's coming any minute; he's on the rampage after the twins tried to make a fool out of him in front of Clearwater." Ashlyn took a seat across from Jeremy, next to Cedric. As if on cue, Percy burst into the compartment with his ears bright red.

"Well?" He barked. "Where are the new Gryffindor and Slytherin Prefects?" He demanded. Ashlyn and Cedric exchanged glances and suppressed their laughter. Fortunately, the Prefects in question entered the compartment before Percy's rage could fly out of control. "Penny- I mean, Penelope is briefing the other Prefects in the other compartment," Percy was saying while trying to pull himself together. "I will take this opportunity to address all of you," Percy drew himself to his fullest height. "Being a Prefect requires you uphold the school's decorum at _all_ times," Percy emphasized. "You have been chosen to be a representative of the school and no inappropriate behavior will be tolerated."

"Wood wouldn't be too pleased to hear about that," Cedric murmured to Ashlyn, a smile playing on the corners of his lips. Ashlyn punched him arm lightly and quickly settled down when Percy's evil eye fell on her.

"Prefect duties include reporting of any breach in school rules along the corridors," Percy said, "Prefects are allowed to deduct points from any of the Houses, but you are unable to deduct points from other Prefects. There will be patrolling duty every evening to ensure no student wanders around the castle at night."

"Will we be patrolling together?" The Gryffindor Prefect spoke up.

"Yes, Prefects always patrol in pairs," Percy replied. "Sometimes we mix the Prefects up to encourage interaction between Houses." Ashlyn snorted before she could stop herself. Jeremy and Cedric chuckled while everyone else looked at her strangely. Percy himself looked displeased.

"Sorry," She said quickly, feeling her cheeks flame with embarrassment. Her elbow dug into Cedric's side to stop him from laughing. "_Shut up_," She hissed with a hint of plea in her voice. Cedric complied; swallowing his chuckles and patting Ashlyn's back in silent consolation.

"There is a bathroom on the fifth floor reserved for Prefects," Percy said coolly, "The password this term is 'citrus burst'. I shall now tell you where you will be patrolling at night," Percy took out a roll of parchment and put on his horn-rimmed glasses.

"Nice one," Jeremy commented as he leaned forward, a sly smile on his face. "Great way to show your doubts on encouraging inter-House relations,"

"Shut up," Ashlyn hissed with one quick look at Percy before turning back to face Jeremy. "It's ridiculous the idea of it! I mean, okay, the Prefects get the opportunity to mix around; what about the rest of the school? Oh, we're going to have to go around and say 'Gee, the Slytherins really are decent people!'?? No one's going to listen because we're Prefects!" Ashlyn said indignantly.

"Spencer, if you would kindly continue your conversation with Stretton another time," Percy's cold voice cut in before Jeremy could respond. Ashlyn wished she could sink into the ground and stay there; everything seemed to be against her favor today. "Now," Percy said, looking at his parchment, "Spencer and Stretton will be patrolling the seventh and sixth floor…Diggory and…"

"Merlin, I have half the mind to go up to Flitwick and demand what he was drinking when he chose me as Prefect," Ashlyn muttered to Jeremy. "Percy would probably do it himself after this meeting," She glanced at the Head Boy who practically exuded his usual 'no-nonsense' aura.

"Don't say that," Jeremy said distractedly, "If you weren't a Prefect, I wouldn't have someone to entertain me," Ashlyn glared at him before letting a small smile onto her face. "Ah, see I just made you smile, Spence," Jeremy leaned back comfortably, "Admit it, you need me,"

"Only in your dreams, Stretton," Ashlyn retorted.

"Alright," Percy said loudly to draw his audience back. "Now, all of you will be doing rounds in the train to ensure nobody is misbehaving; after doing so, you may return to your own compartment that you share with friends," Percy said crisply. Nodding sharply at them, he spun on his heel and left. Getting to their feet, each pair of Prefects left one pair at a time.

"Don't trip now," Cedric said, grinning as he kissed her cheek fleetingly. Laughing sarcastically, Ashlyn waved Cedric off. She and Jeremy headed off the opposite direction.

"What are we exactly supposed to do?" Ashlyn asked nervously as they walked past the compartments, peering briefly into the compartments to see that there was no trouble.

"Go around and see that no one's 'misbehaving'," Jeremy quoted Percy. "Anyway, there's Davies and the rest of the team." Jeremy reached past Ashlyn and slid open on compartment door. Roger glanced up at them in disbelief.

"You're telling me that the both of you are Prefects?" Roger demanded. "I actually have two Prefects in my Quidditch team? This must be a record," Roger smirked. Ashlyn gave him a withering look before flouncing off. Jeremy shrugged as he followed after her. The two finished their rounds and departed. Ashlyn returned to her compartment.

"Ugh, term hasn't even started and I'm exhausted and _hungry_," Ashlyn complained as she made her way towards the window seat next to Oliver. "The food cart had left already?" Her face fell when she saw her friends holding food, making her stomach grumble.

"Here, love," Oliver handed her a Cauldron Cake and a pack of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum at her. He ignored the twins' cat-calling as Ashlyn kissed him in gratitude. "Oh shut up, you two," He glared at them.

"How was it being a Prefect for the very first time?" Raine asked.

"Boring and utterly humiliating," Ashlyn said dejectedly. "If Percy doesn't go to Flitwick by the end of the week and demand why I am a Prefect, I'd be in shock." She started on her Cauldron Cake, snuggling closer to Oliver. His fingers ran through her hair gently. She sighed heavily, "Oh well, depressing things aside; Jeremy is the other Ravenclaw Prefect," Ashlyn informed Raine.

"Really…? Interesting," Raine smirked.

"Why?" Oliver demanded, instinctively becoming suspicious. "What's so interesting about that bloke Jeremy?" Raine's smirk only widened as she looked away disinterestedly.

"It's nothing, Oliver," Ashlyn laughed. "Raine's just messing with your head; Jeremy's the third Ravenclaw Chaser on the team," Oliver's frown only deepened. "Eh, got your pack of Exploding Snap, Fred?" Ashlyn asked quickly. The Weasley twin took out his pack of cards and the five of them got began to play.

"One point for me!" Fred crowed as his wand landed on the two similar cards. The five teenagers were laughing about as they played the Classic game of Exploding Snap. But when the train was coming to a stop some time too soon, they sensed something was wrong. Fred got up to peer out of the compartment.

"We can't be there yet," Raine said, checking her watch. "It's too early-" The whole train jerked forward; throwing everyone back onto their seats.

"What the hell?" George burst out. Ashlyn glanced out of the window; but the rain made the outside hard to see. There was another lunge forward and there were screams from the other compartments. As the lights began to flicker, Ashlyn and Oliver exchanged looks. Soon, all the lights went off and the five of them realized that they could see their breaths mingling in the air.

Ashlyn inched closer to Oliver, gripping his hand with fear and apprehension. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. She tried to calm herself down but it was not working. Suddenly, the door slid open to allow a dark figure in. Ashlyn's sucked in her breath as a peculiar feeling spread throughout her body. It was as if every feeling of warmth escaped her being.

"Oliver…" She gasped, sinking back into his embrace. He seemed to share her sentiments as his hand had just gone cold. The dark figure glanced around for a few minutes; it seemed like a whole eternity before it left. Ashlyn buried her face in Oliver's front, shaking uncontrollably.

"W-what was t-that thing?" Raine asked weakly in the dark; the lights were still out.

"Dementor," Ashlyn said grimly.

"Guards Azkaban," Fred said.

"Foul place," George chimed in.

"Loads go mad in there," Fred shuddered.

"Can't blame them," George agreed.

"Dad went there once; came back all shaken up," Fred recounted. Just then, the lights flickered back on. "What do you reckon?" Fred directed his question to Ashlyn.

"They're probably looking for Black," Ashlyn said, rubbing her hands together for warmth. "God, they're probably going to make the Prefects do more rounds-" As the words left her mouth, Jeremy slid open their compartment door.

"Ash, we've got to go," Jeremy said, tilting his head to the side. Groaning, Ashlyn got to her feet unsteadily as the train resumed movement. Oliver grabbed her sleeve in objection.

"I'm fine," Ashlyn assured, gently pushing Oliver's hand away. She stepped out of the compartment and slid the door shut behind her. She turned her head and saw Cedric striding towards her. He looked her over with worry. "I'm _fine_," Ashlyn sighed.

"You look pale," He said.

"So do you," Ashlyn shot back. "But you don't hear me saying anything about it, do you?" She smiled wanly. "Go on, get on with your rounds," She steered him off. "Alright, let's get going," Ashlyn said to Jeremy. Together, they set off on their rounds.

"Ashlyn," Jeremy nodded at one compartment. Ashlyn peered inside and saw a group of first years huddled together. Pushing the door open, Ashlyn stepped inside.

"What's wrong here?" Ashlyn asked gently. The first years immediately parted to reveal a small girl crying in her hands. "Hey, it's alright now," She squatted down in front of the girl, "It's gone; can you tell me your name?"

"D-Demelza Rob-Robins," The girl choked out. "W-What was that thing??"

Ashlyn swallowed; first years ought not to worry about such things. "Listen all of you; I need you guys to be strong, alright?" Ashlyn glanced around at the first years. They nodded hesitantly. "Good, you guys don't worry about a thing, hear?"

Gently brushing Demelza's tears away, Ashlyn straightened and wondered what on Earth this year of Hogwarts held for the rest of the school.

* * *

End.

Haha glad to know so many of you liked the letter in the previous chapter! I loved writing it too but it was quite difficult because I know I had to make it seem believable and all. I liked writing Oliver's reaction to her threat more, **Ami-Weasley**. Haha hope you're still able to throw confetti after reading this, **Lean Ayres**! (And hopefully you would still WANT to throw confetti) It's okay that you mixed up the characters, **ScarletRoseX**; we all make mistakes sometimes. No no, no plans for a love triangle, **jess**. No worries, alright? Heh I liked writing Cedric's dad. Preferred the movie version of him than the book version.

Haha alright I know who to count on if I ever need help, eh **VampireWithTheGoldenEyes**? Thanks so much. Nope didn't get a review, **williammoseleysgirl**. But it's okay, I thought you were abandoning this fic! Haha you're not the only one who wants to be with Cedric. If I'm not wrong, **MainlyMaddison** asked first(: Hope you didn't wait too long for this chapter, **Kenya**. It's just that nobody has been reviewing and I've put the reason down as school or work. So I'm probably updating during the weekends from now on. Haha glad you came back to check out this fic, **shadowkid1313**! Nope it's not over; my dream is for this fic to reach all the way to the Deathly Hallows. Wish me luck! I guess you just have to keep coming back to see how it goes, **rukia23**! Don't want to give any spoilers away. Hope your ten days of work turned out alright and I hope you liked this chapter.

Alright please please please do review. Cheers!


	18. Chapter 18: Sympathy

I think this is the longest time I have ever taken to put out a chapter! Apologies for that; I wanted to stretch this out but I wanted to keep to the normal length and it totally got out of hand and all but it's out now! Thanks to my wonderful reviewers: **ScarletRoseX**, **MainlyMaddison**, **Ami-Weasley**, **Kenya**, **The-Mixed-Up-Girl**, **KristyT23**, **Lotti6369**,** jess**, **rukia23**, **Lean Ayres**, **Toolazytologin**, **williammoseleysgirl**, **shadowkid1313** and **Kopycat**.

Note: Demelza Robins (the girl in the previous chapter) is NOT mine. She is J.K. Rowling's. She was first mentioned in the Half-Blood Prince, made one of the Gryffindor Chasers.

Okay enjoy Chapter 18!

* * *

Oliver helped Ashlyn onto a horseless carriage as they got off the Hogwarts Express. She was still pale and shivering; he could not blame her really. It rained harder than ever after the Dementors left the train. As the carriage brought them closer to the castle, an unnatural chill crept across Oliver's chest; just like the time on the train.

Dementors were stationed at the entrance.

Ashlyn quietly sucked in her breath as her hand inched onto the crook of Oliver's arm. The chill soon disappeared as they entered the castle. As they approached the Great Hall, Oliver kissed her temple before joining his fellow Gryffindors. She took the seat opposite Raine, "Look at everyone; they're…" Ashlyn glanced around at the pale faces around her. "Afraid," She finished.

Raine sighed and rolled her eyes, "Imagine what the first years will look like. Bet you five Sickles that at least one of the new first years are still crying. Oh hello, Luna," Raine said as the white-blond second year took a seat. "How were your holidays?"

"Good," Luna said calmly. "Daddy and I went to Sweden to look for the Crumple-Horned Snorkack." Raine and Ashlyn exchanged looks.

"Any luck?" Ashlyn asked, swallowing the giggle in her throat. She was amused at the Lovegoods' quirky believes, but knew it was not good to laugh at them.

"No," Luna replied pensively. "But we'll try again,"

Ashlyn nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. When she looked up, a dark-haired girl accompanied by a curly-haired girl took the seats on Ashlyn's right. "Hello Cho, Marietta," Ashlyn said. "Alright there?"

"We're fine," Cho said. "And congratulations on becoming Prefect; you left a bit too fast on the train for me to say so. Roger was being…well, you know, Roger."

Ashlyn smirked, "Oh yeah, I know what that's like," The two of them laughed as the doors of the Great Hall opened, letting in Professor Flitwick and the new first years. "Where's McGonagall?" Cho shrugged. Remembering the little bet she had with Raine, Ashlyn scanned the group and found none of the first years sobbing in their robes, but several of them had blood-shot eyes. "Pay up," Ashlyn stuck out her hand in triumph.

Groaning, Raine withdrew five Sickles from her money purse and handed it over. Cho gasped mockingly, "You bet on the new first years? Call yourself a Prefect…" She teased. Ashlyn rolled her eyes.

"It's just a harmless little bet, that's all," Ashlyn defended. Sensing something rippling through the school, Ashlyn glanced around. Ella Shaw, who was across from Cho, leaned forward.

"Apparently Harry Potter fainted on the train when the Dementor entered his compartment." Ella divulged, her eyes glittering. "He actually _fainted_,"

Ashlyn tucked her hair behind her ear and lowered her voice as the Sorting Ceremony began. "When is the boy going to get a break?" She wondered aloud. Cho shrugged in a 'what-can-you-do' way. As Professor Flitwick took the Hat away, the door of the Great Hall opened to allow Harry Potter and Hermione Granger through. The whispers and murmurs increased in volume as Harry made his way to his seat. "Honestly," Ashlyn muttered, "As if he needs more attention…"

The mutters and murmurs died down as Albus Dumbledore rose from his chair. "Welcome to another year in Hogwarts," His voice reached the four corners of the Hall. "Before we become too befuddled with our excellent feast; I would like to introduce our new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor R. J. Lupin. Good luck, Professor," Ashlyn craned her neck to see the new Professor stand up at the teacher's table.

"He better be good at Defence," Raine muttered as she clapped politely, "We've got OWLs, and Lockhart wasted one whole year." Ashlyn nodded in agreement. "But he looks as if one good curse could finish him off."

"…I regret to inform you that Professor Kettleburn has retired in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs," Professor Dumbledore was saying. Raine and Ashlyn exchanged amused smiles. "However, I am pleased to say that the person filling the Care of Magical Creatures post is none other than our own Rubeus Hagrid," Cheers came mostly from the Gryffindor table.

"Didn't see that coming," Ashlyn joked.

"Now," Dumbledore's voice turned grave, "Onto a more serious matter; Hogwarts will be playing host to the Dementors until Sirius Black is captured. Let me make this known to you: The Dementors will not differentiate between the one they seek and those who stand in their way," Dumbledore's bright blue eyes swept the Hall, "Do not give them a reason to harm you."

The atmosphere turned grim and more whispers stirred up after Dumbledore started the feast. "Well, this is going to be an interesting year," Ashlyn said sarcastically as she pulled a plate of food towards herself. "I feel so warm and fuzzy thinking about it." Raine snorted at Ashlyn's comment.

As the feast ended, Jeremy tugged Ashlyn to her feet. "First years, follow us!" Jeremy yelled. Shooting Jeremy an annoyed look, Ashlyn rubbed her injured ear. Together, they led the new first years out of the Great Hall and up the stairs. Once they reached the Ravenclaw Tower, Jeremy and Ashlyn turned around to address the first years.

"The boys' dormitory is on your left while the girls' dormitory is on your right." Ashlyn said. "There will be a set of rules you have to follow," There was a small groan that reverberated among the first years, "It's not fun, but it's necessary that you follow the rules as doing so will earn you points for Ravenclaw."

"If you **get caught** breaking the rules," Jeremy winked; making the first years titter, "The Prefects," He gestured to both himself and Ashlyn, "will report it to the teachers and deduct points."

"Will you deduct points from us?" A brave soul chirped.

"If necessary," Ashlyn said. "Don't give us reason to," With a sidelong glance at Jeremy, the two new Prefects began reading the list of rules. When they were done, Ashlyn returned her gaze onto the first years, "If you have any questions, feel free to approach us,"

"What's your name?" A first year asked.

"Oh right," Ashlyn felt the embarrassment well up in her body. "I'm Ashlyn Spencer and he is Jeremy Stretton."

"Alright then" Jeremy said cheerfully, "Get to your dormitories and settle in; this will be your home for seven years," With that, the first years dispersed. Jeremy beamed at Ashlyn, "Not so bad on our first go, eh?" He said winningly.

"I guess," Ashlyn said doubtfully. "Except for the fact that I nearly forgot to tell them our names," She sighed heavily.

"That could actually work; we could have made them call us 'the Mighty-All-Knowing Ones'. What do you think?" Jeremy raised his eyebrow. Ashlyn let a smile onto her face and she let out a small laugh.

"You're crazy, Jer," She shoved him playfully. He cuffed the back of her head in retaliation.

"At your service,"

* * *

"Ashlyn," Raine's impatient voice broke through the haziness of her head. "Ashlyn, you're going to put the milk on your sausages- Watch it!" Raine seized Ashlyn's wrist before the sleepy Prefect could tip the jug of milk onto her plate. Ashlyn sat up straighter and rubbed her eyes, mumbling her apologies and something else Raine could not catch. "Pardon…?" Raine asked irritably.

"Had to do rounds last night," Ashlyn said tiredly, letting out a huge yawn.

Raine glanced incredulously at her, "It's barely the start of the year! Is this going to be a daily routine?" Raine rolled her eyes as she started to eat.

"Could I just have a little sympathy?" Ashlyn grumbled moodily, stabbing her sausage with her fork. "You know how essential sleep is to me."

"Oh of course," Raine said absently as an owl deposited the day's edition of the Daily Prophet onto her lap. "Hello, Cedric," She said as the Hufflepuff approached them. He frowned slightly at Ashlyn, who was slumped on the table. "Don't mind her," Raine said, as if reading his mind. "She's just being a baby about doing rounds,"

"You do it then," Ashlyn shot back. "Hey," She said to Cedric, leaning against him in the process. "We have to do rounds every night?" She asked pathetically. Cedric let a chuckle before nodding sympathetically. Groaning, Ashlyn slapped herself in the face a couple of times. "How come you're not sleepy?" She asked suspiciously. "I want whatever you're taking."

"Am I ever sleepy?" Cedric said in reply, his brow furrowed.

"Yeah, yeah," Ashlyn growled, "Let's all laugh at Ashlyn now…" Cedric grinned and tousled her hair affectionately. She glared at him, patting her hair back into submission and then punching him in the arm. Slinging an arm around her shoulders, Cedric ruffled her hair; laughing as she tried to struggle away.

"I believe that's my girl you've got, Diggory," Oliver's voice cut in coldly. Cedric immediately drew his hands off Ashlyn, attempting to fight the smile tugging at the edges of his mouth. Kissing Ashlyn's temple, Oliver made sure to glare momentarily at Cedric. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Better than she was a few minutes ago," Cedric said. Ashlyn glanced at him warningly before turning back to Oliver.

"Yeah I'm okay," Ashlyn said casually, running her fingers through her hair. "I didn't get enough sleep, that's all," Getting to her feet, Ashlyn gathered her books. "I'll be going now," Kissing his cheek lightly, Ashlyn strode off. Picking up his bag, Cedric started after Ashlyn. Once they rounded the corner, Ashlyn spoke again, "Honestly, Cedric; you know how much it antagonizes him."

Cedric shrugged, his jaw tightening just slightly. "So what; I have to stop seeing you all together now?" He asked. Ashlyn stopped on her tracks and exhaled slowly. He softened, "You seriously can't ask me to do that,"

Ashlyn's expression changed, "Of course not! Just…" She searched for the right words, "Don't annoy him so much," They shared identical smiles before Cedric slung his arm around her shoulders again. He steered her towards McGonagall's classroom. Settling onto their seats, the Transfiguration eventually filled with their classmates.

"I am sure all of you are aware that you will be taking your OWLs this year." McGonagall gazed sternly at her class. "And let me remind you that I do not accept students with the grades lower than an 'Exceeds Expectations' for the NEWT course." Her beady eyes scanned the class. Ashlyn and Cedric exchanged glances before breaking into half-smiles.

"Just like she said last year; word for word except for the taking of OWLs part," Ashlyn held out her hand. Shaking his head with amusement, Cedric handed her a Galleon. "Hm, A Galleon and five Sickles in two days; I could make a job out of this," Smirking, Ashlyn turned her attention back to McGonagall.

"Dishonest, but effective all the same," Cedric murmured, gazing down at his roll of parchment which had all his notes written on it. "Mind; the odds will not always be in your favor," Ashlyn rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Dad,"

* * *

By lunchtime, Ashlyn was feeling more and more energetic; strangely enough. After Transfiguration, she had a double Defence against the Dark Arts lesson. Lupin was probably ten- no, a hundred times better than Lockhart. Confident that she would definitely pass her OWL now, Ashlyn's mood lifted. Now, she was surrounded with her friends in the courtyard. Leaning against Oliver comfortably, Ashlyn shut her eyes; enjoying the gentle sunshine.

"Oy, Ron!" She held the twins call. Opening her eyes, Ashlyn sat up as Ron, accompanied by Harry and Hermione, approached the group. They were not looking very happy.

"What happened?" Ashlyn asked curiously.

"Malfoy," Ron growled. Ashlyn rolled her eyes as the Gryffindors around her groaned. The slimy git must be at it again. Before Ron could explode into mixed curses and swears, Hermione interrupted.

"Hagrid was showing us a Hippogriff and Malfoy didn't listen to instructions," Hermione explained. Ashlyn looked up with interest. "Hippogriffs are proud creatures but Malfoy insulted one of them. The Hippogriff attacked and Malfoy's injured." Ashlyn and Oliver exchanged glances.

"He deserves it," Ashlyn said calmly.

Hermione sighed, "Even so, Hagrid might get into trouble." Another groan rippled through the group. Ashlyn glanced at Harry; he seemed quiet, like something was bothering him. Hermione too, cast another look at Harry worriedly.

"What's the matter, Harry?" Ashlyn asked. He glanced up quickly and shrugged.

"It's nothing really," He said, "McGonagall made it clear that it's nothing to worry about," Ashlyn's brow furrowed with confusion. "Well, the Divination teacher, Trelawney," Harry looked at Hermione and Ron, "saw the Grim in my tea-cup," Ashlyn's expression cleared.

"No worries, Harry," Ashlyn said confidently, "You're not the only one. Although I don't take Divination, I heard she predicted the death of someone I know," Ashlyn absently toyed with a lock of her hair. Harry blinked as everyone leaned in with interest. "Cedric,"

"You're joking," Fred said, astounded.

"Nope," Ashlyn said. "So don't worry about Trelawney's prediction, Harry. As you know, Cedric's not dead. He's perfectly fine and you will be too." She said kindly. Harry smiled hesitantly. Hermione smiled gratefully at Ashlyn. "I never held much respect for Divination anyway," Ashlyn said stoutly, "Once I met Trelawney along the corridors and she told me that I was basically going to have a hard time but still have a happy ending,"

"And you don't believe in that?" Oliver asked; amusement in his voice.

"It's not really the matter of believing," Ashlyn pointed out, "I mean, everyone's going to have a hard time in this life; but we'll eventually make it through, right?" There was a chorus of 'Aw's and 'Ooh's. Rolling her eyes, Ashlyn stuck out her tongue at the rest of them.

"How mature," Katie Bell teased.

Ashlyn's expression lit up, "Now I would love to see that Hippogriff. Do you think Hagrid would show it to us?" Ashlyn asked Raine.

"Highly unlikely," Raine said; disappointment evident in her voice. "He might do something less dangerous." Ashlyn's face fell. "We could always ask anyway," And that was what happened during the Care for Magical Creatures. Disappointed that Hagrid brought out a box of Flobberworms, Ashlyn approached the gamekeeper.

"Professor…?" Ashlyn said hesitantly. Hagrid was looking pale and not his usual cheery self. "Could you please show us the Hippogriff?" Ashlyn asked.

"No, can't do that, Spencer," Hagrid said gruffly, waving his large hand. "Yeh probably heard that Malfoy-" He shook his head and dismissed Ashlyn's request.

"But Professor," Ashlyn protested. "Malfoy is just a slime of a git who didn't listen!" Her comment drew attention from the rest of the class. "I'm sure your lesson was going great until Malfoy stepped in!" There were a few murmurs of agreement among the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. "Come on, Professor," Ashlyn tried again.

"Yeah," Jeremy agreed as he stepped forward. "I'm with Ashlyn. That prat Malfoy had it coming to him." Hagrid's eyes turned watery with gratitude. Wiping his eyes, he finally nodded and retrieved the boxes of Flobberworms. After the small cheers subsided, Hagrid beckoned to Ashlyn.

"Got somethin' ter tell yeh, Spencer," He said. She approached him curiously. "Thanks for all tha'-" Hagrid nodded towards the class who were all eagerly waiting the arrival of the Hippogriff. "An' one more thin', don't call me Professor, eh?" He grinned down at the Prefect. Ashlyn smiled at him.

"Sure, Hagrid,"

* * *

Oliver Wood gazed down at the Quidditch map in front of him. It was the end of the day and he was seated in front of the Gryffindor fire. An exasperated sigh escaped his mouth as he sat back. His new game plan was on the brink of completion; yet there was something missing. Massaging his temples, Oliver tried to tune out the noises around him. A group of first years were giggling and nudging each other; it made Oliver's head whirl.

Not only that, the morning's incident was taking up much of Oliver's concentration. Scowling, Oliver remembered seeing Diggory's arm around Ashlyn's shoulders. He bit his lower lip, knowing it was stupid of him to get so worked up over nothing. 'They're just friends,' He reminded himself. Sitting back up, he snatched up his wand. Prodding the map with his wand, he watched as the markers and arrows squiggle over the page.

"Er h-h-hello," A shy voice broke Oliver out of his thoughts. He looked up to see a dark-haired girl standing in front of him. Her cheeks reddened as he made eye contact with her. "Are you Oliver Wood?" She continued. Oliver blinked; he remembered her being Sorted.

"Yeah," He replied cautiously. "…May I help you?"

"Well, I-I was just wondering," She hesitantly sank onto an armchair. "I-I saw you and the r-redhead this morning-" Oliver immediately understood.

"You mean, the Ravenclaw Prefect?" Oliver asked. She perked up, nodding excitedly. "That's my girl," Oliver said, feeling a gush of warmth in his body. "Ashlyn Spencer," The girl seemed ecstatic to be in the knowledge.

"She's so nice," The girl gushed.

Oliver nodded. "Does she know you?" He asked curiously.

The girl then reddened again, "Oh, we met for a while on the train. After the D-Dementors," Her voice quivered momentarily. "After the Dementors left; She was really nice to me," A small smile crossed Oliver's face; that sounded so much like Ashlyn. "I'm D-Demelza Robins by the way," Her cheeks were flushed.

Oliver stuck out his hand, "I'm Oliver," She quickly shook his hand.

Her head bobbed up and down. "Everyone told me you're the person to go to when Quidditch is concerned." Oliver's expression lit up. "A-and I also heard that A-Ashlyn is a Ravenclaw Chaser. D-Do you think you c-could teach me?" Demelza implored.

Oliver was about to accept when something dawned on him. His smile faded slightly. "The thing is, Demelza," He said gently, "First years are not allowed on brooms other than during their Flying lessons." Demelza's face fell. "Ashlyn's a Prefect and I can't-" Oliver's voice trailed off.

"Please," Demelza pleaded. "I heard Ashlyn really likes Quidditch and that you're the best person to learn from," Unable to help himself, Oliver felt a surge of pride. "But," Demelza bit her bottom lip. "If it is hard for you to…" Her words were left hanging in the air. Getting to her feet, she was about to scurry away when Oliver spoke up.

"Oy, Robins," Oliver said. She turned around hopefully. "Listen," He glanced around and motioned her closer. "It will be difficult to keep this to ourselves; let alone not get caught. But I think we'd be able to do so," He concluded slowly.

A wide smile spread across Demelza's face. "Y-You mean…?"

"Meet me at the Quidditch pitch on Saturday evening,"

* * *

Well how was that?

I realized I made a mistake in one of the previous chapters. I forgot Hagrid was not the Care for Magical Creatures teacher in Harry's second year. Oh well.

Yeah that's part of the reason why I got Raine and George into trouble, **Ami-Weasley**. You caught me (runs and hides). Hey **Kenya**, just would like to thank you for giving me an idea! You asked if Demelza will be following Ashlyn everywhere; well not exactly, but yes I think Demelza will be a recurring character for the while. Thanks! Hope this cheers you up again, **KristyT23**! Yes, **Lotti6369**, Demelza will be quite an important character for NOW. Haha. Aw you're too nice, **jess**. I love Cedric and Ashlyn's relationship too. But as **rukia23** mentioned, you don't get over someone in a matter of days. So will there be some problems later on? ...Maybe.

Glad you guys liked the Prefects' meeting! Is your work done, **rukia23**? Hope so. Sorry for releasing this so late. Why don't you get some ice-cream and celebrate, eh? Thanks so much **Lean Ayres**! I'm so glad you didn't run out of confetti after all! Glad you're back, **Toolazytologin**. Haha okay **williammoseleysgirl**, you can have Jeremy. Mind, he belongs to J.K. Rowling. Sorry about that.

Okay please review, people!


	19. Chapter 19: Appropriate Behavior

Whew HUGE apologies for the delay! Don't know what happened really. Oh well. At least it's here now! As usual, thanks to my reviewers: **Lift the Wings**, **ScarletRoseX**, **MainlyMaddison**, **shadowkid1313**, **KristyT23**, **OceanSapphire**, **jess**, **williammoseleysgirl**, **Lean Ayres**, **rukia23**, **Ami-Weasley**, **Kenya** and **Kopycat**. Thanks you guys! Wish more people reviewed though. (Who wouldn't right?)

Okay enjoy Chapter 19!

* * *

Oliver Wood had to admit: he was not a Master of Secrets.

Glancing around the Great Hall, he did not see Ashlyn at the Ravenclaw table. Exhaling slightly with relief, he continued his breakfast. He raked his head on how he was going to keep his lessons with Demelza from Ashlyn. Guilt welled up inside of him as he realized he would have to lie to her; again. Wincing, he remembered the last time he lied to her. He thought hard and did not see Ashlyn approach him as she entered the Great Hall.

"A Knut for your thoughts," Ashlyn murmured in his ear. He jerked out of reverie and glanced behind wildly. "Easy," She laughed lightly. He quickly let out a nervous laugh and fought down the blood rushing to his head.

"Just thinking about something," He said vaguely. It was not a lie really; it made him feel a bit better. Ashlyn's expression faded a bit.

"What's this? Don't you always say 'my thoughts cost more than a Knut but for you, I'll make an exception'?" Ashlyn asked with surprise. Oliver chuckled awkwardly, running a hand through his hair unconsciously. "What's bothering you?" She asked.

"Nothing," Oliver assured, forcing a smile onto his face. She blinked at him before tugging on his robes imploringly. "Really," Oliver insisted. "It's Quidditch, that's all," He avoided her sharp eye.

"Aw, the happy couple fighting already?" Angelina teased as she took a seat opposite Oliver. "What did Oliver say now?" She asked as she poured a jug of juice into a glass. Oliver opened his mouth to protest. "Yes," Angelina cut him off, "It is always you because you always say the wrong thing at the wrong time." Angelina reasoned.

"You DO get tactless sometimes, Oliver," Alicia agreed as she sat down next to Angelina. Ashlyn had to swallow the giggle bubbling in her chest as she nodded at the two Gryffindor Chasers knowingly. The Gryffindor glanced at the three girls around him; he was going to be ganged up. In other words: he was toast. Shrugging as nonchalantly as he could, Oliver turned his attention back to his breakfast.

Ashlyn punched Oliver's shoulder, "Don't think I forgot what we were talking about! Come on," Her voice grew serious. "Tell me."

"Just leave it, will you?" Oliver's voice was dark. The moment she grew still, Oliver knew he made a mistake. Sighing heavily, he turned around to appease his girlfriend. "Ashlyn, I didn't mean-"

"Yeah okay," She said, stung. Smoothing her features, Ashlyn took a deep breath shakily. Tossing a quick wave at Angelina and Alicia, she swept away without a backwards glance at him. Turning back to his breakfast, Oliver caught sight of Angelina and Alicia shaking their heads at him. He picked up his fork grumpily.

"Don't," He warned. Angelina shrugged while Alicia snorted; but they continued staring at him anyway. Feeling his frustration levels rise, he eventually lost his patience. "Alright, spit it out." He snarled. Angelina and Alicia glared at him hotly and instead of rebuking him, they snubbed him and fell into conversation. Giving up, Oliver pushed his breakfast away and got to his feet with a single angry thought in his head.

_WOMEN!

* * *

_Raine sensed something off the moment Ashlyn sat down next to her before Charms. Her best friend's eyes were blank and unseeing; Raine wondered how she managed to find her way to the Charms classroom without bumping into doors. "Ashlyn," Raine said firmly. The Ravenclaw Chaser turned to her best friend. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Ashlyn said distantly. Raine closed her book and looked worriedly at her. "It's nothing really," Ashlyn admitted, "I'm probably just overreacting…" Her voice trailed off. Raine raised her eyebrow questioningly. "Well-" Before she could elaborate; the Weasley twins came into view.

"Don't look now," Fred murmured at the both of them. "We just pranked the new Gryffindor Prefect Kenneth Towler and he isn't happy." Ashlyn immediately fell silent as they took their seats. Raine could not help but feel a twinge of irritation at the twins' timing. Forcing a smile onto her face, Ashlyn shook her head with resignation.

"Indubitably, he'll just report you," Ashlyn said matter-of-factly as she took out her Charms textbook. The aforementioned Gryffindor Prefect stormed into the Charms classroom and glanced around furiously. Catching sight of Fred and George's innocent faces, he opened his mouth to tell them off. But before he could, Professor Flitwick cleared his throat.

"Mr. Towler, if you would please take your seat," Flitwick said squeakily. Kenneth threw a contemptuous look at the twins before storming towards his seat. Rolling her eyes, Ashlyn fell back into her previous stupor; gazing blankly down at her textbook. Raine glanced sideways at her best friend, wondering what on Earth was bothering her this time.

'_Just leave it,' _Oliver's voice echoed in her head. Tapping her quill listlessly on the table top, Ashlyn let Flitwick's words wash over her. Sure that she was only overreacting, Ashlyn tried to banish the memory from her head. Yet something was niggling at her; telling something was wrong. Shaking herself slightly, Ashlyn blinked dazedly as she rubbed her eyes tiredly.

The time breezed by, faster than she expected. Soon, she was in the Great Hall with her Potions textbook spread out in front of her. She rested her head on her fist and exhaled heavily as she scribbled down a few lines for her Potions essay. Unbeknownst to the Ravenclaw, the Gryffindor Quidditch captain was looking her at the Gryffindor table. The guilt welled up inside of Oliver's being as he watched her bury her head in her arms.

Glancing down at his parchment irritably, Oliver realized that he had drawn Quidditch plays instead of writing the essay. Stuffing it into his bag, Oliver's eyes fell back onto Ashlyn. She was now sitting up and flipping through her textbook listlessly. Shifting his gaze, Oliver caught Raine staring back at him. He hastily averted his eyes; feeling the tell-tale redness cross his face.

Raine's shrewd mind finally put two and two together. "Hey," She hissed at Ashlyn who was sitting across. Ashlyn nodded her head absently, her eyes focused blearily on the page. Raine kicked her shin. Swallowing the yelp in her throat, Ashlyn glared hotly at her. "What did Wood do now?" Ashlyn glanced over her shoulder and she met Oliver's eye. Turning back to her work, Ashlyn could now feel the burn of Oliver's stare on her back.

"Nothing," Ashlyn said deftly, returning her attention to her Potions homework. Raine frowned at her best friend. But before she could pursue the matter, there was a commotion over at the Gryffindor table.

Seamus Finnegan came running into the Great Hall, yelling, "He's been sighted! He's been sighted!!!" He seemed to be carrying a copy of the Daily Prophet. Raine's brow furrowed as she turned to Cara Davis next to her.

"What is he talking about?" Raine asked curiously. Cara reached into her bag and withdrew the Daily Prophet. There the headline read: BLACK SIGHTED. Raine pulled the paper closer and read the article. "Sirius Black is in Dufftown??" Raine exclaimed. "That's quite close to here…" Raine concluded. "Do you think he'd come here?" She asked Ashlyn.

Getting no response, Raine looked up and realized Ashlyn was not even listening. "Ash" Raine snapped her fingers. The Ravenclaw Prefect blinked and gazed at her. "Are you sure you're alright?" Raine asked.

Ashlyn sighed heavily and closed her books. "You know what?" Ashlyn said; shoving her books into her bag. "I'm going back to the common room, alright?" Tossing a quick wave at Cara, Ashlyn bustled out of the Great Hall before Raine could reply. Additionally, Raine caught sight of Oliver gathering his things as well. He headed straight after Ashlyn.

Ashlyn strode along the corridors, her mind racing. She could not concentrate on her work, knowing that Oliver was actually watching the whole time. Groaning aloud in frustration, Ashlyn quickened her pace. "ASH, WAIT!" It was him. Weighing her options, Ashlyn bit her lip. Deciding on her course of action, she arrived to a stop on her tracks. She turned around to face Oliver who was fast approaching her.

His face reddened slightly as he neared her. In his haste, he dropped his Transfiguration textbook. "Sorry-Thanks," He muttered as she stooped down to retrieve it. A slight smile lifted the corner of her mouth. Pulling himself together, Oliver smiled with embarrassment. "Listen," He swallowed uncomfortably, "About this morning, I…I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright," Ashlyn found herself saying. "Don't worry about it." Oliver immediately relaxed at that.

"You're sure?" He asked; his eyebrow furrowing. She nodded in reply, making a broad grin spread across his face. Hesitating for a moment, he stepped forward and kissed her briefly on the lips.

"Mind, I'm a Prefect," Ashlyn murmured as Oliver backed her up against the wall. "This won't be Percy's definition of _appropriate behavior_." Oliver let out an amused laugh as he pulled his head slightly away from her.

"Right," He nodded, running a hand through his hair unconsciously. Kissing her cheek clumsily, he lifted a hand awkwardly in farewell before turning his back to leave. Wrapping her arms around herself, Ashlyn too turned and left.

Walking away is not always necessarily the best of solutions. But it sure leaves trivial matters behind; unfinished and unresolved.

* * *

It was a beautiful Saturday morning. The sun was hidden behind a few clouds and the wind was gentle. In Oliver's words; perfect Quidditch conditions. He strode out into the Quidditch pitch, carrying the trunk of Quidditch balls. Setting it down on the ground, he glanced around for the first year he was supposed to be teaching. She was nowhere in sight; nobody was. He chose this time of the day, knowing that the castle was still asleep.

"Maybe she's still sleeping too," Oliver muttered to himself, exhaling through his teeth.

"G-Good morning," A shy voice came from behind him. He glanced around and saw Demelza standing there. She smiled hesitantly. "Were you talking to yourself?" She ventured curiously.

"No," He replied hastily. "You didn't get lost, did you?"

"I-I, well," Demelza's face reddened considerably. "I-I did t-take the wrong turn somewhere along t-the way," She confessed. Oliver could not help but let out a chuckle. Her cheeks grew redder as she forced herself to giggle nervously.

"That's okay," Oliver reassured. "That just reminded me of the time when Ashlyn was a first year." A small smile crept over Oliver's face. Demelza brightened with interest.

_Oliver strolled along the corridor towards his next lesson. Percy was alongside him and reading a textbook at the same time. Sighing with exasperation, Oliver hauled Percy out of the way before the engrossed Weasley could collide with another student. "Honestly," Oliver muttered. "Will you please watch it-?"_

_Instead, Oliver was the one who bumped into another student. "Sorry!" The other party cried. Interestingly, it turned out to be a girl who was looking lost. Percy snorted as he stooped down to pick up the girl's book. Throwing a dirty look at the Weasley, Oliver smoothed his features and helped her up._

"_Are you alright?" He asked. The girl nodded, thanking Percy as she retrieved her book from him. "Sorry about that, I wasn't looking-"_

"_It's alright," The girl interjected, finally looking Oliver in the eye. As she did, her cheeks turned scarlet. He blinked back at her curiously. She glanced back down at her shoes. "I-I was just a little lost and well-" Before she could finish her sentence, the Weasley twins appeared and startled her. _

"_There you are!" Fred declared. "We-"_

"_Were thinking of where you wandered off to," George finished. "Hey Perce," With that, the twins ushered the girl off. Oliver saw them off and caught her looking back at him. _

_She had an uncertain smile on her face. _

"…Oliver?" Demelza called, gently prodding his arm. He started and remembered where he was. "Ashlyn got lost in Hogwarts when she was a first year too?" She pressed. Oliver chuckled and nodded. A relieved smile spread across Demelza's face.

"Shall we get started?" Oliver asked. Nodding excitedly, Demelza stepped up to the wooden crate. "Now," He turned to her, "Do you know the rules and objectives of Quidditch?" Demelza shook her head. "The basics…?" She shook her head again sheepishly.

"My parents are too busy to teach me Quidditch," Demelza admitted. Oliver blinked; this first year was sounding more and more like Ashlyn. "Sorry," Demelza apologized, flustered. "Do continue,"

"Right," Oliver nodded shortly. "Quidditch is easy enough to understand. There are seven players; Three Chasers, two Beaters, one Seeker and one Keeper. You follow?" He raised an eyebrow at her. She nodded attentively. He bent down to open the wooden crate. "Now," He picked up the Quaffle. "This is called the Quaffle. The Chasers pass the Quaffle to put it through those three hoops," He pointed at the golden hoops at both sides of the pitch. "Each goal is worth ten points. The Keeper defends the hoops."

"The Chasers score points with the Quaffle while the Keeper defends the hoops," Demelza said, her brow furrowed with concentration.

Oliver nodded. Placing the Quaffle back, he picked up the Beater's bat. "Here," He handed it to Demelza. "Those two are called Bludgers," He pointed at the two jet black balls that were struggling under the straps. "They try and knock players off their brooms," Oliver nodded grimly at Demelza's horrified expression. "Careful now," He tentatively released one of the Bludgers.

It shot out of the crate and circled back, aiming for Demelza. She shrieked and ducked as it zoomed past her head by inches. The Beater's bat flew out of her hand. Oliver dived for it and scrambled to his feet. He was prepared as the Bludger shot towards him. He swung back and bashed the Bludger off the other direction. Demelza got to her feet shakily. "Wow, you could be a Beater too," She squeaked.

"Sorry about that," Oliver apologized. "I should have warned you." He glanced up and saw that the Bludger was returning. Bracing himself, he dug in his heels as the Bludger head straight into his arms. Winded, he quickly recovered and wrestled the Bludger back into the crate. Locking down the Bludger, Oliver tried to catch his breath, "The Beaters use the Bludgers to knock the other team's players off their brooms."

"Okay," Demelza ran through the information in her head. "There are three Chasers, two Beaters, one Seeker and one Keeper. The Keeper defends the hoops; the Chasers score points with the Quaffle; the Beaters use the Bludgers against the other team." She reeled off.

"Right," Oliver said, pleased. "Lastly, the Golden Snitch," He held out the tiny golden ball to her. Awed, Demelza took the Snitch tentatively and examined the intricate designs on the surface. "The Seeker has to catch the Snitch; when he does, the game is over and the team wins a hundred and fifty points."

"Wow," Demelza exhaled slowly. "I-I…Quidditch sounds…" She struggled for a word. "Exciting," She finished. Oliver's grin broadened.

"So, any particular player's position you are interested in?" Oliver asked.

"Chaser," Demelza replied almost immediately. Then she turned scarlet as Oliver raised his eyebrow at her. "W-well," She said cautiously, "I-I would be a rubbish Beater," She waved her hand, indicating the incident not too long ago. "A-and I-I wouldn't be able t-to defend the h-hoops well enough." Oliver chuckled and held up his hands.

"Relax, I'm not judging you," He assured. "But out of curiosity, why not try for Seeker?"

Demelza turned a darker red, "I don't think I can take the pressure of Seeker," She confessed. "I mean, everyone would want you to get the Snitch and I-I guess I would probably disappoint a lot of people." Demelza shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably.

Sensing her discomfort, Oliver bent down and snatched up the Quaffle. "Chaser it is, then," He said, injecting a light tone into his voice. Demelza looked up hopefully. "Alright, I take it you've done your first Flying lesson?" He asked; getting an eager nod for a reply. Glancing around first for witnesses, Oliver then turned back to Demelza. "Mount your broom." She did obediently. "Careful now, gently kick off alright?"

Gripping her broom tightly, Demelza recalled what Madam Hooch taught her the day before. Soon, she found herself hovering in the air just like before. The familiar warmth along with stinging excitement coursed through her body. "Good," Oliver said, a slight tone of surprise in his voice. He too, got onto his broom and kicked off. Together, they flew towards the three golden hoops. "Here," He handed her the Quaffle. "Try and put it through the hoops,"

Demelza looked at him quizzically, "You're not going to stop me?" She asked.

He shook his head, "I think we should start off nice and easy first," Oliver explained. "Gradually, I will defend the hoops and maybe even add in the Bludger." Demelza's eyes widened. He grinned with encouragement and tilted his head towards the hoops. Biting her lower lip, Demelza leaned forward to urge her broom forward. She scored several times before Oliver stopped her.

"Alright, now try scoring further away," He instructed. Time flew by with Oliver giving Demelza pointers and practice. By the end of it, Demelza now knew how to shoot and pass as well. "I have no doubt you would become a Gryffindor Chaser one day," Oliver said, pleased as they descended to the ground.

"You really think so?" Demelza asked shyly.

Oliver nodded confidently. "Just keep practicing," He reminded as he returned the Quaffle to the wooden crate. A smile spread across Demelza's face.

"I will," She said earnestly. "O-Oliver," She seemed nervous to even say his name, "No one can know about this, right?" She asked meekly. He glanced at her as he picked up the crate. "I-I know how hard it is to k-keep this from Ashlyn since she's a Prefect and all, so I-I would like to thank you for teaching me-"

"It's alright, Robins," Oliver said, the smile on his face not quite reaching his eyes. "Go for breakfast, eh? Everything will be okay here."

If only he himself could believe that.

* * *

End!

I shall just jump into it, shall I? Glad you loved the last chapter, **Lift the Wings**. I'm getting a bit worried for this fic; I sometimes get the feeling it's getting a bit boring. (EEP!) Haha **ScarletRoseX**, the Cedric reference popped into my head when I was writing that part. Cool eh? Oh **KristyT23**, it's good to know that you like seeing Ashlyn and Cedric together. It makes me wonder if a living boy and girl can be such good friends. Haha is Ashlyn going to be jealous of Demelza, **OceanSapphire**? Well we'll have to see won't we?

Thanks for letting me know you liked the Golden Trio part, **jess**. Haha have to hold you to your promise for a longer review though! **WILLIAMMOSELEYSGIRL**, GIVE ME OLIVER AND CEDRIC BACK!!! (Steals them back) Haha sadly they don't belong to us. Oh well. Haha just imagine you are Demelza, **Lean Ayres**. Hope you liked the Quidditch lesson. Haha did you enjoy your ice-cream, **rukia23**? Bet you did. Glad you liked the Cedric part, **Ami-Weasley**. Sorry for the late update! Yes,** Kenya**, Ashlyn and Cedric will only be friends. Don't worry. Doesn't sound one bit cliche, **Kopycat**. Hope you liked this chapter!

Alright, please do review!


	20. Chapter 20: Together

...Hi. Do you remember me? [ducks all the rotten food being thrown at me] This chapter is way overdue, I know. As usual, thank you to my awesome reviewers such as **shadowkid1313**, **Ami-Weasley**, **OceanSapphire**, **KristyT23**, **Vandra**, **Spikeissexy**, **Kenya**, **Lean Ayres**, **williammoseleysgirl**, **Don't-Feed-The-Drummers**, **stars**, **PetiteDiable**, **jess** and **I Walk With Shadows**. Thanks you guys. Several of my faithful reviewers seems to have disappeared though. COUGHCOUGHrukia23COUGHCOUGHScarletRoseXCOUGHCOUGHLifttheWingsCOUGHMainlyMaddisonCOUGHCOUGH Haha!

Anyway enough; on with the long-awaited chapter!

* * *

"I am telling you!" Ashlyn's eyes flashed at Raine. "I am NOT over-reacting! There's something going on between the two of them and I had a bad feeling about it!" She threw her hands up with frustration. Raine exhaled heavily and shook her head disbelievingly at her best friend. It was the morning and the two girls were having breakfast in the Great Hall. Ashlyn had seen Oliver and that first year she comforted in the train talking to each other excitedly. "I mean," Ashlyn deflated, "I haven't spoken to him properly in ages."

"You," Raine rolled her eyes, "are being incredibly absurd. I mean, Wood with a first year? It's ridiculous," She scoffed as she raised her spoon to her lips. Then she paused momentarily, "On the other hand, Wood does seem the type to prey on younger girls- Ow!" She winced as Ashlyn smacked her shoulder. "Joke," Raine protested.

"It's not funny," Ashlyn snarled. "They've been together all this time and I just…I have this feeling," She added unnecessarily. Abandoning her breakfast, Ashlyn slumped on her seat. She saw Oliver chuckling and the first year girl, Demelza, turn red as she giggled as well. A huge lump formed in Ashlyn's throat. "Am I being stupid?" She asked aloud.

Raine put down her spoon and tossed a look at the Prefect. "Definitely," She affirmed. "That was exactly what I was saying a moment ago," Raine huffed as she resumed her breakfast. "There's nothing to worry about-" A thought occurred to Raine. She glanced at Ashlyn who was still watching Oliver. "Unless you are jealous of this first year…?"

"No!" Her small scream attracted a few curious stares. "No," Ashlyn hissed fiercely. "Of course I'm not; I'm just…I'm just…" Words failed her. "I-I'm just not jealous of her alright?" Picking up her fork, she stabbed viciously at her breakfast. Raine watched her for a few seconds before a small smile spread across her face.

"You are, aren't you?" Raine said, "Jealous of the first year," Ashlyn quickly scorned. "No, you _are_," Raine repeated. "You're jealous because Wood's spending more time with her than with you." Ashlyn glared warningly at her. Raine sat back with amazement. "God, Ashlyn, you can be such a **plonker**." With that, Raine doubled-up laughing.

A small smile of her own began tugging at the corners of Ashlyn's mouth. "It is a bit silly of me, isn't it?" She asked tentatively. Raine nodded through her giggles. "Alright, alright; I got your message." Ashlyn said. Nodding with satisfaction and stifling her final chuckles, Raine returned to her breakfast.

"Morning," Roger said briskly as he paused in front of Raine and Ashlyn. "There's Quidditch practice tomorrow evening, Spencer. I know how busy you are with Prefect duties and the child-care." Seeing Ashlyn's confused expression, he continued, "Shouldn't be such a problem since I see you've got Wood looking after the ickle first years."

Ashlyn's mouth snapped shut and her face darkened. Throwing her fork onto her plate; she stood up, grabbed her bag and strode out of the Great Hall. Raine groaned aloud and glared hotly at a surprised Roger. "Oh that was really sensitive, Davies," Raine snapped as she struggled to her feet. "Good going,"

Snatching up her bag, Raine rushed after Ashlyn. "Ash," She called after her best friend, "Come on, Roger's an idiot; you know that! ASHLYN" Raine's yell made Ashlyn stop on her tracks. "Don't jump to conclusions," Raine sighed. "You just said it yourself just now: it's unthinkable. It's foolish-"

"Raine," Ashlyn interrupted sharply. "I really don't need any of this now." Spinning on her heel, Ashlyn stalked off. Raine's shoulders sagged in resignation; times like this, Ashlyn was better left alone.

Ashlyn's ankles burned in agony as she threw herself into the open. Taking a deep breath shakily, she strode down to the Black Lake. She forced herself to remain calm and think rationally. But the effects of the lack of sleep and Roger's quip made her want to lose her temper. She sat down with a hard bump, the base of her spine aching from the impact. Hugging her knees to her chest, Ashlyn gazed out at the Lake. Eventually, the anger in her seeped out; quiet resignation and pent-up frustration left behind.

Hearing the bell ring, Ashlyn slowly got to her feet and trudged towards the castle. Once she reached the Transfiguration classroom, she had to put up with a dreadful reprimanding from McGonagall. Avoiding Raine's eye, Ashlyn took a seat at the back alone. She forced herself to concentrate and push all her insecurities biting at her.

At the front of the classroom, Raine was thinking hard. She was used to Ashlyn's tiny dramatics but this was getting out-of-hand. Frankly, Raine was worried. Once lunch started, she gathered Cedric, Roger and Jeremy; George at her side. "Listen, if you three haven't figured it out-"

"Is there something bothering Ashlyn?" Jeremy cut in smoothly. Raine nodded grimly. "Figures," He muttered, exchanging dark looks with her.

"What do you want us to do?" Cedric prompted.

"Distract her," Raine said immediately. "Make her volunteer for Prefect shifts," She said to Jeremy, "Study with her in the library," Raine nodded at Cedric, "And give her more Quidditch practice; just take up her time so that she does not have the energy to even stop and think about other things," She waved her hand dismissively. "It's better if it's this way, but don't," Raine emphasized, "Don't burn her out."

The three boys nodded before dispersing. Raine sighed and turned to George who had a funny look on his face. "What?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. "Am I wrong to want my best friend to concentrate on other things?" She prodded.

George shrugged, "Just wondering why you didn't ask Fred and I do distract her," He said, a hint of teasing in his voice. Raine let out a small laugh and took George's hand.

"Sorry George," She said sympathetically, "But the only distraction you and Fred will give Ashlyn is a headache because she'd be chasing you guys out of trouble." George laughed aloud, knowing what Raine said was true. "You understand, right?"

"Definitely," He assured.

* * *

Oliver paced in front of the Gryffindor fire, deep in thought. His head was racing with countless concerns and worries. His brow furrowed as he turned around and continued his stride up and down the Gryffindor common room. The portrait door swung open, letting Percy in. The Head Boy raised an eyebrow at Oliver who had not noticed his presence. "Is there a problem, Wood?" Percy asked stiffly.

Oliver glanced up; finally realizing Percy was there. He blinked, "Uh no, no problems," He said hastily. Percy glanced down at the stack of parchment in his arms before making a decision. Placing the parchment down on the table, he took a seat on the sofa.

"I'm listening," Percy sighed. Oliver stared at the Weasley in surprise. "Well, I haven't got all day," Percy said, a touch of impatience in his voice.

"You don't have to, Weasley," Oliver shot back, feeling embarrassed that Percy could see through him so easily. "Since you've got more important things to do," He waved vaguely towards the pile of parchment on the table. "I shouldn't impose." The Head Boy shrugged and reached for one scroll of parchment. "Hey, Perce," Oliver blurted out, "H-how's Ashlyn? As you know," He said lamely, "Being a Prefect and all…"

"Well, I noticed she volunteers for a lot of the night Prefect shifts," Percy said thoughtfully. "At least she's making an effort to improve from her disastrous start," He sniffed. Noticing the look on Oliver's face, Percy frowned, "Why?" He asked suspiciously.

Oliver sighed, "I haven't spoken to her in a really long time," He explained. "Listen, could you…you know," Oliver's brow furrowed, "Make someone take over one of her shifts?" Percy's eyebrows shot up.

"Definitely not," He enunciated clearly. "She volunteered for the shift, Wood. I am not going to make someone else take over. Even though you are my roommate," Percy interrupted before Oliver could speak, "I do not make such exceptions."

Oliver growled under his breath and turned to face the fire. What did he expect? Percy was Percy. Slowly, an idea formed in Oliver's mind. A small smile spread across his face. "So Perce," He said casually, "How are things with Penelope?" A tell-tale blush spread from Percy's nose to his ears.

"She's fine," Percy said heatedly, his ears growing positively redder with embarrassment. "Everything is fine."

"Of course," Oliver agreed. "Must be hard though," He concluded aloud, "I mean; the both of you are Head Boy and Head Girl, all the school stuff must take up a lot of your time…"

"Is there a point to this, Wood?" Percy asked tersely. "If not," He got to his feet, gathering his pile of parchment. "I will be going now-"

"Nearly got caught a few times, didn't you?" Oliver asked nonchalantly. "I mean, hiding in a classroom? Not the best idea but," He shrugged, "Both of you would take the closest thing, wouldn't you? Patrolling the corridors, no one's going to notice the two of you going into a classroom for a quick snog-"

"Wood…" Percy warned.

"If someone were to let it slip that you and Penelope aren't _really_ patrolling…" Oliver forced himself not to look at the Head Boy who was practically about to burst a blood vessel. "McGonagall would probably-"

"Fine, _fine_," Percy spat. "I'll take over your girlfriend's night shift tomorrow." Oliver grinned triumphantly. Disgusted with both himself and the Quidditch captain, Percy Weasley stormed up to his dormitory; raging as he climbed up the stairs.

"Don't trip," Oliver called after the irate Head Boy, chuckling to himself as he leaned back onto the sofa. Percy may be a little uptight but with the right words, he is quite easy to manipulate. Still chuckling, Oliver sat up and focused his attention back onto the Quidditch board spread on the table.

* * *

Ashlyn yawned and rubbed her eyes tiredly. Somehow, she found herself being pulled into all directions by her friends. Jeremy volunteered with her for Prefect shifts, Cedric would steer her to the library or the Black Lake to study and Roger had become near obsessive, fanatical even during Quidditch practices. Pushing a lock off her face, Ashlyn sighed as she dragged her feet towards the stairs.

"Spencer," Percy bustled out from around the corner. "May I have a word?" He asked swiftly. Groaning inwardly, Ashlyn secretly wished she could land a punch on the Head Boy. Dealing with pent-up frustration was not her forte. "Your shift tonight is cancelled."

Ashlyn blinked. Somehow, the corridor had become eerily silent to her. "What??" She said; her voice high with incredulity. The Head Boy glared at her. "You're joking, aren't you?" She demanded.

"Do I look like I'm joking, Spencer?" Percy retorted coldly. "Do not turn up for patrolling, understand?" Without waiting for a reply, the Head Boy spun on his heel and strode off. Still frozen in shock, Ashlyn did not sense Oliver coming up from behind her.

"Hey," Oliver kissed her cheek as a greeting. He gazed down at her, noticing the frozen surprise in her eye. "What?" He tilted his head to the side. "Are you alright?"

"I'm…fine," She eventually said. "Percy just took me off night patrol." She said, confusion lacing her words. Biting back a grin, Oliver raised his eyebrows in fake-surprise.

"He did? Must have eaten something during lunch…" He commented. Letting out a small laugh, Ashlyn let his arm slip around her waist. "So you are free tonight?" He asked casually.

"I suppose so," The Ravenclaw replied, still amazed at her luck. "Why?" She poked Oliver's arm playfully. "You have plans?" She teased.

"Maybe," Oliver shrugged. As they arrived at her destination, he paused. "Listen, do you think you could meet me in the Great Hall after dinner?" He asked. Ashlyn's brow furrowed as she regarded him carefully.

"Sure," She said; a small smile on her lips. Balancing on her toes, she kissed his cheek before sweeping off to class. She could not help but let a big smile onto her face as she headed into the classroom.

* * *

Oliver ran a hand through his hair unconsciously as he leaned against a pillar in the Great Hall, waiting for Ashlyn to appear. Sighing, he rubbed his eyes tiredly. Glancing up, he caught a glimpse of her auburn hair before it disappeared behind another pillar. Shaking his head slightly, he grinned with amusement as he strode towards the pillar. Sidling up to her side, he bent to whisper in her ear. "A bit too old for this, aren't we?"

Her head whipped around to face him; the smell of apples slightly lingered in the air. "Humor me; I haven't been able to be childish ever since I became a Prefect," She said, letting him steer her towards the exit. The two of them set off towards the Black Lake. After taking a seat on the grass, they leaned back onto their elbows to admire the stars in the sky.

"It's a great night for Astronomy," Ashlyn commented. Oliver raised his eyebrows.

"You would rather have Astronomy than spend time with me?" He feigned hurt. Rolling her eyes at him, Ashlyn laid her head on the ground; folding her arms at her waist. Oliver followed; wrapping an arm around her shoulders to cushion her head. "Tired?" He asked, seeing her yawn.

"Very," She answered, blinking sleepily; he noticed how bright her eyes were. Snuggling closer to him, Ashlyn enjoyed the warmth Oliver was providing her. He played with the ends of her hair absently; the serenity of their surroundings was calming. "Thank God Percy let me off patrolling; I needed it." She inhaled Oliver's familiar earth and pine scent, making her smile.

"Yeah," Oliver said, "You've been really busy," Ashlyn nodded, shifting slightly to become more comfortable. He wondered if he ought to bring up their recent lack of time spent together. "Must be tough on you,"

"You have no idea," She murmured, closing her eyes. "Everyone's just taking me off to places to do things," She yawned again. "Like they want me to make use of every single minute of my life…"

'Or they don't want you to spend time with me,' Oliver thought. Shaking the thought out of his head, he merely grunted and continued staring up at the clear night sky. Stars winked at him and a soft whisper of the wind ruffled his hair. It niggled at him; he had to know what was going on: why had she been so busy all the time? "Ashlyn, we haven't-"

He stopped short when he realized that she was fast asleep. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. Leaning in, he kissed her temple tenderly. She mumbled something incoherently before burying her head into his sweater.

Maybe his question could wait.

* * *

Ashlyn felt as if she was floating.

She had never felt so relaxed since the school year started. The scent of earth and pine registered in her mind and she reveled in the comfort she felt. But then she could hear something calling her name. "Ashlyn…Ashlyn…wake up…Ash…"

She groaned and lazily swatted the hand which was shaking her shoulder. "Ashlyn," She realized the voice was now sounding a bit urgent. "Ashlyn, wake up-" Her eyelids slowly fluttered open and she took in her surroundings. It was still night; a few stars twinkled above. But it was the chill that stole over her very being and Oliver's panicked face that snapped her out of her stupor.

"W-what" She gasped. At the corner of her eye, she saw dark figures closing in. 'Dementors,' She thought immediately. Dimly, she saw Oliver draw out his wand. "Oliver," She whispered with fear as the cold made the blood drain from her face.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!!" She could only see a bright white light before she felt warmth coursing through her body. It seemed like an hour passed before everything stilled. Panting, Oliver dropped onto the grass next to her. "That…was…close," He said, "Got to thank Professor Lupin for that…"

"What time is it?" Ashlyn asked, trying to orientate herself.

"Probably near midnight," Oliver said, glancing up at the sky. "The moon is quite high up-"

"WHAT??" Ashlyn cried, getting to her feet unsteadily. "Oh god, oh god, oh god," She muttered, "You should have woken me up earlier."

Oliver blinked at her, "Ashlyn, you were exhausted. I couldn't bring myself to wake you-"

"Oh that's right, blame me," She snarled; being a bit cranky. "We're not supposed to be out of the castle at this time. For Merlin's sake, I'm a Prefect!" Her irrationality got the better of her.

"So now you're blaming me?" Oliver challenged. "For your information, I did not ask the Dementors to attack us-"

"That's not the point!" Ashlyn shrieked. "The point is that you should have woken me up! You know I have my own duty as Prefect-Merlin, we're going to be in such big trouble." She ran a hand through her hair with frustration.

"Well maybe if you weren't rushing all over the school exhausting yourself, we wouldn't be here in the first place." Oliver retorted, feeling a rush of hot anger through his veins. Ashlyn whirled around, glaring at the Quidditch Captain.

"What does that mean?" She demanded.

"Nothing," He snapped. He did not want to fight, yet it was difficult to pretend that he was not angry at her irrationality. "Just forget it,"

Ashlyn closed her eyes and counted to three. She knew it herself; she was being silly and childish. "I'm sorry," She whispered, glancing at him. His shoulders seemed to relax and his expression softens. Taking it as a good sign, she walked into his embrace. "I'm just so tired."

Oliver said nothing. "We better get back," Ashlyn said hesitantly, her hand slipping into his. Sighing loudly with resignation, he nodded and slung an arm around her shoulders; a gesture that made her smile slightly. Together, they made their way back up to the castle in silence. Together, they believed everything was going to fine. Together, they did not realize that the cracks were about to deepen.

At least they were together.

* * *

End.

Hope you guys liked the chapter.

Glad you liked the flying lesson, **Ami-Weasley**! She'll eventually find out about the flying lessons; haha tiny spoiler for you. Hope this chapter was worth the wait, **OceanSapphire**. Really sorry this took so long, longer than before. Good to know you liked the flashback, **KristyT23**! Hey **Vandra**, thanks so much for your review. You asked some questions and so it's only fair that I address them. Okay so how can George get into the girls' dormitory in the Ravenclaw Tower and isn't Cedric and Ashlyn too young to have such a serious relationship; well Vandra, I do not have a specific answer to both. I hope that you let your imagination go and not think about details like that. I'm honored you find this one of the best fics you have ever read and hope you continue reviewing. By the way, your English is actually not bad at all. Perhaps you can suggest what sort of Raine/George moments you'd like. It would help me loads.

Aw thanks for the reassurance, **Spikeissexy**! Hope you liked this chapter, **Kenya**. Thanks for the confetti, **Lean Ayres**; glad to see the supply has not depleted! Well, that's too bad, **williammoseleysgirl**. (Steals them back and locks them up) Hey **stars**! Glad to see you back, thanks for reviewing the rest of the chapters. Haha thanks for the super long review, **jess**. I'm glad you like Demelza. She's a minor character so it's fun expanding on her personality. I love minor characters so much. Hey** I Walk With Shadows** thanks so much for your review! I hope you keep doing so and see how this progresses.

Hell yeah, CHAPTER TWENTY, BABY. See how far we've come.


	21. Chapter 21: Watch Your Step

Is it safe?

HUGE APOLOGIES for the terrible delay. -cowers- But HERE IT IS, TAKE IT!!

Just one tiny itty bitty thing: I really wish for more reviews. It's kind of pathetic how I have to beg for it but please, do review okay? It'll mean a lot. Thank you to **rukia23**, **KristyT23**, **Spikeissexy**, **OceanSapphire**, **shadowkid1313**, **Kenya**, **Ami-Weasley**, **Misfits Cannibal**, **musicizmylife135**, **i-want-cheese** and** Lost 2 Love**. Thank you, you guys. I'm sorry the chapter took so long.

* * *

Ashlyn strode swiftly around the corner, on her way to the entrance of Hogwarts. It was the day of the first Hogsmeade visit and she was late. Groaning as she glanced briefly at her watch, Ashlyn's steps started up to a jog. But as she rounded another corner, she bumped into Cedric. "Hey," He said, surprise flashing in his eye. "Listen; join me for the Hogsmeade visit-"

"I can't," Ashlyn said hurriedly, tossing an apologetic smile at him. "I've got plans with Oliver."

"…Right," He said, trying to keep up with her. "I was afraid of that-" He immediately fell silent when Ashlyn threw an exasperated look at him. At another turning, they bumped into Jeremy and Roger.

"Ashlyn," Roger said briskly. "Quidditch meeting in Hogsmeade-"

"Hold it," She stopped on her tracks. "This is getting ridiculous; what are you three up to? I mean," She faced Jeremy, "You've been prodding me to take up Prefect shifts," Then she turned to Cedric, "You've been dragging me to the library to study and you," She directed at Roger, "We've had loads of Quidditch meetings in the past week. What is going on?" She exclaimed in frustration. "Is this some conspiracy to stop me from having a life?"

Not bothering to wait for an answer, Ashlyn ducked past the three boys and streamed towards the entrance. Arriving at her destination, her eyes swept the crowd for Oliver. Catching sight of him, she weaved through the throng of students. "Hey," She smiled and tried to push the earlier incident to the back of her head. "Ready?" She asked, her hand slipping into his.

"Yeah," He said, "There's this one thing though; I don't think I want to go Hogsmeade today." She stopped on her tracks. Oliver forced a sheepish smile onto his face.

"Oh," Ashlyn uttered, letting go of his hand. "What happened? What came up?" She inquired while stuffing her hands into her pockets.

"This and that," He replied vaguely. Her face flushed red; her doubts began nagging at her again. "I'm sorry," He apologized. Gazing over her head, he added, "You better get going, I told the twins to keep you company."

"Right," Ashlyn said gloomily. Kissing her forehead briefly, Oliver gently pushed her towards the direction to where the twins were standing. Hesitating slightly, Ashlyn turned back around. "You sure you don't want me to accompany you? I mean, I could-"

"I'll be fine," Oliver interrupted. "I just have a few Quidditch things to wrap up, might catch up on homework too." He nodded past her shoulder, "Just go." Stung at the curtness of his tone, Ashlyn nodded and quickly made her way towards the Weasley twins. Working her muscles, she forced a smile onto her face as she neared the twins.

"About time," The twins chorused together. George flung an arm around her shoulders, steering her towards the carriages. "No time to be moping, eh?" Fred said cheerfully. A weak smile flitted onto Ashlyn's face as she fought down her insecurities.

Unknowingly, behind her, Oliver saw the three of them off. Once they disappeared into the carriage, he turned back around and headed into the castle. Glancing around, a broad grin appeared on his face when he caught sight of Demelza who was hanging around at the corner. "Hey, sorry about that," He said.

A blush rose to her face. "Are you sure you don't want to go to Hogsmeade?" She asked meekly. "I mean, I could always ask someone to help me with Transfiguration-"

"It's nothing," Oliver denied. "Besides, Ashlyn can do without me for today." Demelza bit her lower lip uncertainly before nodding eventually. "So," He said good-naturedly. "What about Transfiguration do you have difficulty in?" The two of them began to make their way towards an empty classroom.

"I-I just can't get it!" Demelza blurted out. "I say the incantation but nothing happens…" She deflated with the memory of her failed Transfigurations. "I just need your help," She said imploringly to him.

"Whatever you need," Oliver assured.

* * *

Ashlyn absently toyed with the label of her Butterbeer bottle. Lee Jordan had joined them and the three of them were talking animatedly about the new prank they pulled on Kenneth Towler that day. Sipping the drink, she mind wandered and she was soon off in another world. "Oy, Spencer," George nudged her gently. "Still sore Wood left you with us?"

Ashlyn shrugged. "Of course not," She said. "I just…" Her voice trailed off. "Listen, I think I'll get going," Waving off the twins' protests, she bade Lee goodbye before breezing out of the Three Broomsticks. Stuffing her hands into her pockets, she wandered down the streets of Hogsmeade.

She was just passing Honeydukes when she bumped into Ron and Hermione. "Oh hello," She smiled at the two of them. Realizing someone was missing, a light frown appeared on her face. "Where's Harry?"

"His uncle didn't sign his permission form," Hermione explained. Holding up a bag of Honeydukes' sweets, she continued, "Ron and I just got him some sweets for him to try." Nodding, Ashlyn raised an eyebrow at the bulging bag of Honeydukes' sweets. Noticing her expression, Hermione let out a small laugh. "Ronald got excited," She informed; making the youngest male Weasley turn red with embarrassment.

"Understandable," Ashlyn nodded at Ron. "Anyway, I'll see the both of you around," With a quick smile, Ashlyn bent her head and strode past them. After a few moments, she came across Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. There inside, was Raine with the rest of her dormitory mates. Feeling a sense of relief wash over her, Ashlyn pushed open the door and made her way towards their table.

"Hey," Ella brightened when she caught sight of Ashlyn. "Managed to tear yourself away from the Gryffindor Quidditch captain to see little ol' us?" She teased. Ashlyn rolled her eyes and took the empty seat between Raine and Kelsey. "Uh oh," Ella laughed, "I know that expression; something wrong?"

Ashlyn sighed and slumped on her chair. "I hate boys," She muttered.

The girls exchanged looks. "Join the club," Kelsey said lightly. "Ella just finished with the boy from Hufflepuff; Cara's wondering how she should break it off with her bloke and Raine is taking a break from George-"

"What??" Ashlyn's head snapped up. Shooting a dirty look at Kelsey, Raine attempted to calm Ashlyn down. "You can't be serious! I-I mean, it's INSANE, the last time I remember; you and George were just fine! What happened??"

"Breathe, Ash," Raine instructed. "Everything is fine. George and I are just taking some time off to spend time with friends." Glaring at Kelsey, Raine continued, "I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd overreact. It's nothing in the first place."

Calming down, Ashlyn's shoulders relaxed. "Maybe that's what Oliver and I need." She muttered. "If only we actually saw a lot of each other in the first place." She looked so pathetic that the girls glanced at her sympathetically. Ella seized the pot of tea next to her elbow and poured Ashlyn a cup.

"Drink," She ordered. "It'll soothe your nerves." Accepting the cup gratefully, Ashlyn sipped the hot liquid. "Maybe you do need a break," She commented thoughtfully. "Get some time with girls instead of being surrounded by boys all the time,"

"What's this??" Kelsey pretended to faint. "Ella Shaw is actually telling us to stay away from the boys?? You haven't lost a few hairs, have you?" She asked with mock-suspicion. Ella rolled her eyes and whacked the back of Kelsey's head. Whimpering; Kelsey ignored the titters from the other girls, sipping her tea. Ashlyn smiled weakly as she took another sip of tea. Looking up, she happened to see Cedric and his friends pass by; laughing loudly. Her gaze quickly dropped; an action Raine immediately caught.

"It's been that bad?" She asked sympathetically.

"Let's just say I should just stay away from boys for now," Ashlyn concluded. Agreeing in unison, the five girls spent the rest of the afternoon chatting; the thought of boys far from their minds.

* * *

As Ashlyn stepped back into the castle, her spirits had definitely lifted. Walking side-by-side with Raine, the two made their way towards the Great Hall for the Halloween feast. On their way, Jeremy accosted them. "May I speak to you?" He asked hopefully, glancing briefly at Raine before his eyes bore into Ashlyn's. Smiling slightly at Ashlyn, Raine nodded and continued her way.

Crossing her arms, Ashlyn averted her eyes as she started towards the Great Hall. "Listen," Jeremy said quickly, "I'm totally sorry for earlier on; Roger and I was out of line."

"That's alright," She shrugged. They fell silent as they continued walking.

"No it's not, I can tell," He persisted. "You're mad; it's perfectly understandable-"

"Jer, I said it was fine," She said tiredly, running a hand through her hair. "Just drop it, alright? Besides there's nothing to apologize for," She interrupted before Jeremy could speak. "Really," She forced a smile onto her face. "Let's just enjoy Halloween." Arriving at the Great Hall, her head dropped as she strode down the Ravenclaw table.

Catching sight of Oliver and the Weasley twins, Ashlyn avoided their eye as she took a seat; her back to them. Smiling at Cho, Ashlyn proceeded to fall into conversation with her. Pushing her worries aside, Ashlyn tried to make her Halloween as enjoyable as possible. She laughed with her friends, ignoring the will to turn around to look at Oliver with _that_ girl.

Full from the feast, Ashlyn and Raine made their way back to the Ravenclaw Tower together contentedly. The atmosphere was light in the Tower as the Ravenclaws continued their celebrations for a while. Bottles of Butterbeer appeared and were passed around. Enjoying herself tremendously, Ashlyn did not catch Penelope's panicked look at first.

"Everyone move to the Great Hall!" She yelled above the din. Yells of disappointment rose as the Ravenclaws began to evacuate the Tower. Ashlyn and Jeremy exchanged looks before approaching Penelope.

"What's going on?" Ashlyn asked anxiously.

"Sirius Black," Penelope said in a soft voice, ensuring no one else could hear. Exchanging dark looks, the Prefects helped her round everyone up to move back to the Great Hall. The tables had vanished and Dumbledore was standing on his podium.

"Students," He said gravely. "We have received notice that Sirius Black is in the castle." A collective gasp sounded throughout the Hall. "Now although I assure that all of you are safe, it would be a safety precaution for all of you to sleep in the Great Hall tonight while the castle is searched." His piercing blue eyes swept the Hall. "Prefects, meet the Head Boy and Girl behind the Hall. The rest of you," With a wave of his wand, squashy purple sleeping bags appeared at four corners of the Hall. "Get some sleep."

Together, Ashlyn and Jeremy fought against the crowd to get to the end of the Hall. Slowly, they succeeded and followed Percy towards the Hall doors. "Prefects," Percy puffed out his chest. Smirking, Ashlyn scratched her temple, hiding her smile. "There are shifts to patrol the corridors." He said briskly, glancing around at the group of Prefects. "Patrolling will be in pairs…"

Ashlyn found herself paired up with Cedric. Standing a noticeable distance away from him, Ashlyn glanced straight at Percy; listening intently to his instructions, not giving Cedric a chance to speak to her. Folding her arms against her chest, she turned to Cedric when Percy finished. "Shall we?" She said coolly. Nodding slightly, he stepped aside to let her walk first.

As they set off the brightly lit corridors, they shivered slightly as they felt the oncoming presence of the Dementors. Shuddering as the cold stole over her chest; Ashlyn crossed her arms tighter over her front. "Are you alright?" Cedric asked with concern.

"Peachy," She said tonelessly. They continued in silence; checking empty classrooms briefly. "They never really told us how to deal with Black if we meet him." Ashlyn suddenly said thoughtfully.

A grin appeared on Cedric's face. "What do you reckon?" He asked casually. "If he really does appear-"

"Run," The both of them said together at the same time. Chuckling, the two went about their rounds in companionable silence. "Look," He said finally, "I shouldn't have asked you to Hogsmeade today-"

"Ced, will you drop it?" Ashlyn sighed tiredly. "Jeremy apologized before and frankly, I don't want to talk about that. Just forget it," Nodding silently, Cedric pressed his lips together. "Back to the subject of Black, if he does ambush us around the corner-"

At that moment, Ashlyn and Cedric skidded on the slippery floor. Yelping, Ashlyn grabbed Cedric's arm as a reflex as the both of them tumbled to the floor. A loud crackle announced the culprit. "Watch your step!" The resident poltergeist, Peeves, squealed. Cackling evilly, he emptied a pail of water onto the two Prefects. "Oopsie," He said innocently as he watched Ashlyn attempt to get to her feet. Letting out another hoot, he disappeared through the wall; the echo of his laugh lingering in the hall.

Cursing under her breath, Ashlyn pushed a wet lock of hair away from her face. Realizing she was right on top of Cedric, she turned beet red and immediately tried to get up. But she froze when Cedric's hand reached up to tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear. Swallowing hard, she started to speak, "I-I think we should-"

He placed his finger onto her lips. Falling silent, Ashlyn fought to keep her breathing steady. Cedric was staring at her, as if he wanted to memorize every single detail. He was drawing closer to her; she could not be sure. Feeling herself become numb, Ashlyn nearly lost herself until she felt his breath caressing her cheek, a slight brush of his lips against hers…

"Cedric," She spoke firmly. Snapping out of her stupor, she pulled back. Feeling the blood rush to her face, Ashlyn yanked out her wand and muttered the incantation of the Hot-Air charm. Soon the both of them and the floor were dry. Face still red, Ashlyn tucked her wand back into her robes. "We should go back to the Great Hall," She said, her back facing him.

Cedric was silent as the both of them returned to the Great Hall; ensuring he was one step behind her. "Ah, Spencer, Diggory," Percy said briskly as he caught sight of them. "Go into the Great Hall and ensure every student is asleep." He instructed; oblivious to the discomfort between the two Prefects in front of him.

Glancing briefly at each other, Cedric and Ashlyn separated; he went to the right side of the Hall whilst she went to the left side. Exhaling heavily, Ashlyn rubbed her eyes roughly. 'Stop thinking about it,' she told herself sternly. Shushing a few students who were still whispering to one another, Ashlyn wandered to the far corner; gingerly stepping over students' feet.

"PSST…" Someone hissed. Glancing around, Ashlyn caught sight of a figure half-sitting up. She cautiously made her way toward the person and realized it was Oliver as the moonlight fell across his face.

"You're supposed to be asleep," She whispered, bending down over him. Rolling his eyes, Oliver took her wrist and tugged her down. Squeaking, she fell to her knees. "Oliver!" She hissed, trying to inject a note of severity into her tone.

"What?" Oliver drawled, "I'll bet you ten Sickles everyone else isn't asleep yet."

"Doesn't mean you shouldn't be," She whispered back, shifting slightly to make herself more comfortable. "Managed to finish your homework?" She asked.

"Eh? Yeah," He said hurriedly. "The twins told me you left Hogsmeade early-"

"I went to join the girls," Ashlyn cut in. "What did you do?"

"This and that," Oliver said vaguely, settling back onto his sleeping bag. Biting her lip, Ashlyn forced herself to keep quiet. "You're not mad at me, are you?" He asked casually, his eyes fluttering shut.

"No," Ashlyn said quietly. "I should get back to patrolling," She said, starting to get onto her feet. "Goodnight," She said softly before making her way out of the cluster of sleeping bags and students.

Unable to see clearly, she tripped over someone's sleeping bag. A hand immediately shot out to steady her.

Glancing up, she found Cedric to be the one who helped her. His hand was gently holding hers as he stared at her enigmatically. Clearing her throat, she straightened; her hand slipping out of his. Nodding slightly, Cedric turned away to resume his patrol; leaving Ashlyn wondering what she did to deserve such a difficult life.

* * *

End.

Hope that was not TOO boring.

Okay nothing that interesting in this chapter but I ASSURE YOU, there will definitely be more drama in the later chapters alright?

I hope you're not going to guess the whole storyline, **rukia23**! Haha otherwise I would have to think up a whole different storyline to surprise you. Sorry for the overdue update, **Spikeissexy**. Hope you liked this one. You're going to have to find out later on, **OceanSapphire**. But let me remind you guys of something: Demelza is still a first year. Heh that's all I can say at this point. You got that right, **Ami-Weasley**: a relationship can't be strong without conflicts. But it seems nicer without it, doesn't it?

I hope you liked the last part, **Misfits Cannibal**. You did give me an idea of Cedric not really being OVER Ashlyn. So maybe I have redeemed myself for the delay? Just don't eat me. Hehhh. I adore long reviews, **Lost 2 Love**. Do review more. Thanks to the rest of the reviewers for giving your views, ideas, etc. I fully appreciate them all. Do keep sending them in.

REVIEW!


	22. Chapter 22: Don't Start

GREETINGS! A new chapter; I know, FINALLY right. As always, thanks to my reviewers:** i-want-cheese**, **PetiteDiable**, **Lost 2 Love**, **OceanSapphire**, **rukia23**, **Spikeissexy**, **Kenya**, **Jenjera**, **Padfoot2007** and **carlabellaxox**. Thanks y'all. Your reviews meant loads to me. I was so glad to see new reviewers. I hope all of you do keep reviewing despite the late updates. To make up for it, I have made sure to make this chapter longer. I hope you enjoy it.

**HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!**

* * *

Lightning flashed as the sky rumbled with thunder; the grey clouds turned darker still. Another crash sounded before it began to pour. In the middle of Quidditch practice, the Ravenclaw team had no choice but to take cover. Laughing freely, the team dashed for the changing rooms. "Told you so," Jeremy Stretton taunted Roger Davies. "Now you owe the whole team Butterbeers the next Hogsmeade trip." The rest of the team cheered in agreement.

Making a face, Roger cleared his throat to address his team. "Alright, great practice today," He said crisply. "Seeing that our practice has been cut short by the rain, next practice will be extended; only to be fair," He said above the groans from his teammates. "Go get cleaned up," He waved them off, unable to hide the smile on his face.

Rolling their eyes, Cho and Ashlyn separated from the boys to get the girls' changing room. "What more can we expect? Roger's always been stingy," Ashlyn joked as the two entered the changing room. Cho nodded in agreement.

"Is everything alright?" Cho asked with concern. "I noticed you've been a bit distracted lately and well…you haven't been speaking to Cedric too." Ashlyn smiled weakly as she started to remove her muddy Quidditch robes. "Did something…happen?" Cho prodded hesitantly.

"Everything's fine," Ashlyn replied firmly, "Just fine,"

"You know," Cho said conversationally, "Sometimes it's best to admit you have a problem rather than keeping it to yourself."

Ashlyn let out a small laugh, "I'll keep that in mind; thanks," Smiling briefly at Cho, Ashlyn headed towards the showers. Bathing quickly, she put on a fresh set of clothes. Pulling out her wand, she began to dry her damp hair.

Cho joined her at the sinks, beginning to dry her hair. "I also heard from Ella you're staying away from Wood for a while." She said casually. Rolling her eyes, Ashlyn let out a sigh. Trust Ella to share the information with Cho. "It's true then? That's such a pity," Cho lamented.

"We may have a few disagreements here and there, but every relationship has them," Ashlyn pointed out matter-of-factly. "I'm just taking a break, that's all." Cho nodded sympathetically. The two girls quickly tidied up and gathered their things.

Cho smiled uncertainly at Ashlyn, "Shall we?" She asked.

"You go ahead first," Ashlyn frowned as she realized she was missing her comb. "I'll meet you in the common room." Nodding, Cho turned to leave. Sighing, Ashlyn placed down her things and began to hunt for her comb. "Where is it?" She murmured to herself as she bent down to check under the sink.

"Oh Ashlyn," Cho called at the door. "Someone's here to see you,"

"If it's Roger, tell him I'm currently invalid and in no mood to hear anymore Chaser formations," Ashlyn said, finding her comb at the very same moment. Straightening, she turned and found both Cho and Oliver lingering at the door. "Oh," She uttered. Waving, Cho smiled briefly at Oliver before making an exit. "Let me get my things," Ashlyn muttered as she stuffed her comb into her bag. Just as she was about to pick up her school bag, Oliver himself hoisted it onto his shoulder. "Thanks," She said, a small smile appearing on her face.

Together, they left the changing rooms and made their way back to the school. "You have time?" Oliver asked hesitantly as they reached the courtyard. Nodding in confusion, Ashlyn placed her things down on the stone bench. Glancing expectantly at him, she took a seat. Oliver ran a hand through his hair and sighed gustily. "Gryffindor isn't going to play against Slytherin this week."

Ashlyn's expression changed. "What?"

Oliver nodded grimly. "We're playing Hufflepuff," He said tightly. Ashlyn's jaw dropped and she stood up again. Messing up his hair again, he glared out at the rain. "Madam Hooch just told me of the change."

"Why?" Ashlyn blurted out. "What made her change the sequence-?"

"Malfoy," Oliver said. Comprehension dawned on Ashlyn's face. "The little bugger," He let out a hollow laugh. Sinking down on the bench, he rubbed his face tiredly. "Hufflepuff is a whole other game plan." He said; a hint of helplessness in his voice. Noticing it at once, Ashlyn turned around to look at him.

She could not lie. Cedric was an amazing Quidditch captain; he would have definitely have come up with new formations and tactics. Taking Oliver's hand, she gave him a small comforting smile. Scooting closer to him, she rested her head on his shoulder. Despite the small gesture, Oliver felt the dread slightly lift from his heart. "That doesn't solve the problem," He stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh?" She murmured in response. Shifting slightly to make herself more comfortable, she closed her eyes. "What a pity,"

There was nothing more to say.

* * *

The following days were no better than before. Ashlyn was still avoiding Cedric; an easy task as Roger was badgering her with Quidditch plays every minute he could. She also saw Oliver less and less, told that he was literally bent over his Quidditch playbook every waking hour in the Gryffindor Tower. Forcing herself to disregard it all, Ashlyn too; threw herself into homework and Quidditch.

"…the formation is iron-clad." Roger was saying. "But if they come again with the Bludgers-" Ashlyn closed her eyes and tried to squash the frustration bubbling inside of her. This was the third time he was reminding her. Keeping her hands strictly at her sides, Ashlyn increased her walking speed.

"I know what to do, Roger," She said tightly, through gritted teeth. "Will you leave me alone now?" He ignored her completely and continued his Quidditch talk as if she had never spoken. Jeremy glanced at her with sympathy, his grip on her upper arm comforting. Rolling her eyes at him, Ashlyn rubbed her eyes tiredly. Looking up, she saw Cedric heading right towards her; his jaw set, eyes unblinking.

She stopped on her tracks then mentally smacked herself for the unwise move. She clearly had no idea about what she would say, what she would do; was he even going to speak to her in the first place? All thoughts vanished as Cedric stalked right up to her. Roger even stopped his chatter to glance back and forth at Cedric and Ashlyn. "I…need to talk to you," Cedric seemed to lose his nerve a bit, his eyes flickering away from her face momentarily.

Raising their eyebrows, Roger and Jeremy departed; Jeremy lingering for a while, as if waiting for her to object. Ashlyn was silent, her lips pressed together. Beckoning, Cedric waited for her to go ahead. Her eyes still on him, Ashlyn took a half-hearted, hesitant step forward. He followed close behind her, making sure to keep some distance between them.

They walked towards the Black Lake in silence. Stopping by the water's edge, she glanced out; finding the old comfort in watching the stillness of the lake. "I haven't seen you out here for some time," He finally spoke.

"I've been busy," She replied shortly. He muttered something that she did not catch, did not bother to make him repeat.

"How's Quidditch practice?" He fumbled for conversation; almost like an awkward eleven year old boy again. She smiles humorlessly; what more could she expect? Boys will always be boys.

"Fine," She grounded out, crossing her arms over her chest. "Peachy, wonderful, absolutely spiffing," Sarcasm layered her words. "Of course, Quidditch is so important that I can't bear to take my mind off it for a second," He ran a hand through his hair with embarrassment.

"Wood probably told you of the switch in matches," He said. She nodded coolly. Silence fell upon them heavily. Shifting from foot to foot, Ashlyn mindlessly curled a lock of hair around her finger. "Which do you choose?" Cedric asked so suddenly that she was startled. Gazing at him with confusion, she turned to face him. "When it's a match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," He elaborated. "Which side do you choose?" He asked.

"I don't," She said, her voice steady. Breaking eye contact, Ashlyn glanced back out at the Lake. "How that is relevant, I fail to see." She said snidely.

"It doesn't," He said tightly. "It was just a question." Sneering slightly, Ashlyn chose to disregard the whole thing; maybe she was just too darn tired to prolong the situation. At the corner of her eye, she saw him take a deep breath. "Listen," He started again. "I just wanted to say-"

"ASHLYN" A cry of her name interrupted him. Turning, Ashlyn saw Cho hurrying down the hill towards them. "Something happened-" Arriving at a stop in front of the both of them, Cho paused to catch her breath. "Hi," She said to Cedric, her cheeks turning pink. "Am I interrupting anything?"

"Cho, Cedric; Cedric, Cho," Ashlyn made short introductions. "What happened?" She leveled Cho with a pointed look.

"Flint and Oliver got into a fight-" Before Cho could finish, Ashlyn was well off on her way. Practically jogging towards the castle, she failed to realize that Cedric and Cho were at her heels. Seeing a crowd gathered outside the Great Hall, Ashlyn headed straight towards them. As she did, the crowd parted.

They revealed Oliver, nursing a bleeding lip; surrounded by Fred, George and the Demelza girl. Brushing away the stab of annoyance she felt in her gut, Ashlyn streamed towards Oliver. "Are you alright?" She asked with concern.

"Don't start," He said darkly. "Percy already took twenty points from Gryffindor." He massaged his jaw, his fingers lightly touching his wound.

"Leave it," She said crossly, drawing her wand. "_Episkey_," There was a small light before Oliver's wound healed. Pocketing her wand, she glared slightly at him. Noticing her fuming, he rolled his eyes.

"It's nothing," He said, brushing dirt off his robes. Turning to Demelza, he asked, "You alright?" Demelza nodded fervently, still looking at Oliver with concern. Quelling the jealousy she felt, Ashlyn pulled herself together.

"What happened?" She repeated her question, glancing at the Weasley twins for an answer.

"F-Flint was b-bullying me," Instead, Demelza spoke up. The first year squared her shoulders and continued, "O-Oliver stepped in t-to help me be-because Flint was saying some mean things," Her face red, Demelza continued. "O-Oliver told him to leave me alone; that is when he-"

"Insulted my team," Oliver interrupted. He shot Demelza a look and she immediately fell silent. "Flint insulted Gryffindor," He repeated, turning his gaze back to Ashlyn.

"It wouldn't be the first time," Ashlyn pointed out. "What was so different about this time?"

Oliver's face was set and grim. "You didn't hear him," He said coolly. With that, he left; Demelza by his side, trying to keep up. Ashlyn bit her lower lip, trying to keep the sob that rose in her throat down. Fighting the urge to break down, she kept her chin up and strode back to the Ravenclaw Tower alone.

The feeling of abandonment and loneliness was too much to bear.

* * *

The day of the Gryffindor – Hufflepuff match came faster than Ashlyn would have liked. The weather was terrible; winds were brutally strong, the rain sharp as needles. Despite the gloomy weather, the whole school surged into the stadium; spirits high and excited. Clutching her umbrella which was quite useless, Ashlyn climbed up to the stands with her Housemates. "How on EARTH are they going to play through this rain?" Raine yelled above the wind.

"They're going to have to," Ashlyn replied.

"Welcome to the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff Quidditch match!" Lee Jordan's voice boomed out throughout the stadium. He proceeded to briefly explain the game of Quidditch like he would always do for the first game of the season. Ashlyn blinked up at the grey sky, wondering how on Earth Gryffindor and Hufflepuff were going to play in such terrible weather. "…Now!" Lee cried with enthusiasm. "I give you the Hufflepuff team; Fleet, Preece, Macavoy, Applebee, O'Flaherty, Rickett and DIGGORY!!"

The Hufflepuff team flew around the pitch for a brief warm-up; the screaming and cheers remarkably louder at the Hufflepuff end. "Presenting the finest team in Hogwarts," Lee's voice shined with pride above boos and jeers from Slytherin, "I give you the GRYFFINDOR team; Wood, Johnson, Bell, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley and POTTER!!!"

Her brow furrowing, Ashlyn leaned against the wooden railing as she watched Madam Hooch start the game. With a sharp whistle, the match began. "Bell with the Quaffle – she dodges Macavoy – Quaffle to Johnson – back to Bell – Bludger from Rickett, Quaffle to Applebee –" Ashlyn's attention was on the two Seekers circling the pitch for the Snitch. Biting her lip, she tore her eyes away to focus on the Chasers.

Minutes fell by, goals were scored and Ashlyn was shivering. The rain did not get any better; it fact, it grew worse. Lightning lit up the sky and thunder rumbled threateningly. "…Johnson with the Quaffle – she dodges Preece – BLUDGER, ANGELINA! Quaffle to Macavoy – Applebee – Preece – back to Applebee – Preece – Bludger from Weasley – Quaffle to Bell – Spinnet – she shoots – SCORE!!!" Lee whoops, nearly rupturing the eardrums of the school.

"Lovely," Raine muttered as she tucked her hair behind her ear. Grinning, Ashlyn clapped Raine on the back. "How do they do it?" Raine wondered aloud. "How on EARTH can they play with this kind of storm?"

"It's Quidditch," Ashlyn yelled back so Raine could hear her above the howling wind. Raine rolled her eyes and returned her attention to the game. Grinning slightly, Ashlyn glanced down at the pitch just as a streak of lightning flashed across the sky. The grin slowly slipped off her face.

It felt as if it was just yesterday; the sensations and the memory were so clear. If she closed her eyes, she could almost feel Oliver's hand on her waist; the burn of his lips on hers. The rain ran down her face, the wind was stinging cold on her skin. "…Ashlyn?" Jeremy's voice was in her ear. Forcing her eyes open, she glanced at him; the fresh streak of lightning caused her eyes to water. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Nodding quickly, Ashlyn turned back to face the match. Gryffindor was up by forty points and Macavoy was in possession of the Quaffle. There was a commotion spreading throughout the stadium; people were pointing up at the sky. Immediately, Ashlyn followed the line of interest.

Cedric and Harry were flying higher above the stadium. "Merlin," Ashlyn muttered to herself; they must be freezing. The atmosphere was tense; several Hufflepuff and Gryffindor girls were clutching each other. Though the game was still going on, most of the attention was focused on the two Seekers. "What's going on up there?" Ashlyn wondered.

She soon got her answer.

For a split second, no one knew comprehend what was happening. Then screams punched through the silence. It was Harry and he was falling from the sky. Covering her mouth, Ashlyn stood frozen as she watched the Gryffindor Seeker plummet down to the pitch. She dimly heard Headmaster Dumbledore's command before a more chilling feeling stole over her entire being.

Dementors.

The cloaked creatures were entering the stadium. More screaming filled the air. Groping for her wand, Ashlyn was not even aware she did not know how to deal with Dementors. Fortunately, a bright white light blinded the whole school. As it faded, Ashlyn realized all the Dementors were gone. There on the ground of the pitch was the motionless body of Harry Potter. "Is he dead?" Raine whispered, worry coloring her words.

They watched as Dumbledore had Harry stretchered off to the Hospital Wing. "Wait," Ashlyn spoke, "What about-" She glanced up at the sky and saw Cedric descending slowly; the gold in his hand was unmistakable.

"DIGGORY'S GOT THE SNITCH!" Lee announced. The cheers erupted from the Hufflepuff stand. There was yelling and stamping, mixed with jubilation and triumph. Instead of celebrating with the rest of his team, Cedric flew towards Lee and two of them began to discuss something. "ALRIGHT!!!" Lee bellowed to quell the din that Hufflepuff was making. "Hufflepuff Captain Diggory would like to extend an offer of a rematch to Gryffindor," Ashlyn's brow furrowed.

"That's so gentlemanly of him," A girl behind Ashlyn sighed. There were many sounds of agreement along with a few skeptics. Back to biting her lower lip, Ashlyn was sure that Oliver would find that more of an insult. If he did not, she would nurse a bucket full of Skrewts; or burn all her Quidditch things. Knowing Oliver, he had too much pride to accept a rematch.

Oliver flew towards Lee and the three began to talk. The discussion was short, Oliver eventually shaking Cedric's hand stiffly. "Gryffindor has turned down Hufflepuff's offer for a rematch," Lee said. With a loud whoop, Hufflepuff continued their celebrations while the Gryffindor Quidditch team disappeared into the changing rooms. Slowly, the stadium began to empty; Slytherin was jeering at Gryffindor; Gryffindor and Ravenclaw leaving prudently.

"Quite a match, isn't it?" Raine asked casually as they begun to descend down the stands slowly. "Terrible weather aside; it was so exciting," She commented.

"Raine, I'll see you in the common room," Ashlyn said quickly. Getting an understanding nod from her best friend, Ashlyn detached herself from her Housemates. Striding towards the changing rooms, she quickened her pace; her calf muscles strained.

"Oy, Spencer, going to comfort Wood now?" Marcus Flint sneered as she walked past them. Keeping her head up high, she streamed past him; barely flinching. Loud guffaws echoed through the hallway. "Remember to bring a few tissues with you!" He yelled after her, making his cronies laugh appreciatively.

Rounding the corner, Ashlyn forced herself not to run back and land a punch on Flint. Brushing her hair out of her face, she quietly fumed as she neared the changing rooms. Coming to a stop, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath; attempting to rid the anger inside of her. Shivering slightly, she opened her eyes and saw tiny Demelza Robins waiting anxiously at the door of the changing rooms.

Feeling the irritation well up inside of her, Ashlyn stepped towards the first year. "What are you doing here?" She asked coolly.

Demelza turned red. "I was just waiting for O-Oliver; the rest of the team went to see H-Harry…" Her voice trailed off.

"You shouldn't be here," Ashlyn said calmly. "Go back to your common room. Oliver will meet you there." The first year bit her lower lip before nodding reluctantly. Seeing Demelza scurry off, Ashlyn felt the familiar twinge in her gut - suspicion. Shaking herself slightly, she pushed open the door to the male changing room.

It was empty, except for one shower stall. She could hear the shower running, the water hitting the wall. "Oliver…?" She called his name uncertainly. No answer. "Oliver!" She tried again. Stepping over the Quidditch gear that was thrown carelessly on the floor, she made her way towards the closed shower stall.

There was a short grunt in reply. "Hey," She said gently, touching the door. He did not turn off the shower. "It's not over, Oliver." Ashlyn said seriously. Sinking onto the floor, she waited for a reply which she did not get. "There are still two more matches to play."

"I know," His voice was rough and toneless. Running a hand through her hair, Ashlyn wondered how she was going to prolong the conversation. The shower still ran; a steady rhythm that filled the changing room.

"Are you trying to drown in there?" She asked, trying to inject a note of humor into her voice.

"Not a bad idea," She heard him mutter.

Jumping to her feet, she banged on the door. "That's not funny, Oliver!" She cried indignantly. Becoming serious, she said firmly, "There's still hope." This time, he doesn't reply. "Oliver…?" She knocked on the door. Crossing her arms, she glared at the closed shower door. As if he read her mind, the shower was finally turned off.

Relaxing her stance, Ashlyn waited for Oliver to emerge. Eventually, he did; drenched from head to toe, still clad in his Quidditch robes. "Are you INSANE??" Her voice became shrill as she took in his pathetic appearance. Grabbing a nearby towel, she sat him down and began to dry his hair. He did not protest, keeping still while she fussed. "Merlin, you are the most ridiculous Quidditch captain that ever existed-" She ranted.

Suddenly, his hands took her wrists; forcing her to stop what she was doing. The towel slid off his head and he gazed up at her; his eyes blazing. Pulling her onto her lap, he kissed her deeply. She softened, feeling the quiet desperation in his kiss. His grip tightened on her waist, fingers digging into her hip. Tunneling her fingers through his hair; Ashlyn let him work out his frustration, keeping her lips soft and coaxing.

Eventually, Oliver relaxed. They pulled away slowly and he rested his forehead against hers. Gently stroking his cheek, she placed a light kiss on his lips. "I mucked up," Oliver muttered, his throat tightening. "I should have called off the match," His eyes slowly became hooded as he gently pushed her off his lap before standing. He paced up and down the changing room.

"There was no way you could have known," Ashlyn said, trying to keep her voice gentle. He shook his head violently as if trying to rid the demon whispering in his ear. "Oliver-" She reached out to touch him.

"Hufflepuff," Oliver said hollowly. "Out of all the teams, it had to be Hufflepuff…"

Ashlyn narrowed her eyes at the distressed Quidditch captain. "What do you mean?" She asked slowly. "You admitted Hufflepuff won fair-and-square. What…?" Her voice trailed off in confusion. Oliver ran a hand through his hair again in frustration.

"No team," Oliver spoke, "NO team has EVER lost to Hufflepuff," He repeated. Ashlyn let out a groan and covered her face with her right hand. "Do you know what this means? I will never get a Quidditch career." He exclaimed in exasperation, his face scrunching with anger and helplessness.

"That ridiculous," She scoffed. "Other Houses have lost to Hufflepuff before." Ashlyn pointed out. Seeing Oliver throw her an incredulous look, she snapped, "There's always a first for everything, Oliver!" She shook her head imploringly at the boy in front of her. "I cannot believe you are taking this so badly! It's only a _game_, Oliver…" She let out a heavy sigh of resignation. It was as if she had slapped him; he stiffened and whirled around to face her.

"What??" His brow furrowed deeply. Letting out a disbelieving snort, he continued his pacing. "You'll never understand…" He muttered furiously. That was the final straw; he was acting like such an INFANT she could barely contain her anger and frustration. Leaping to her feet, she clenched her fists.

"You think I don't _understand _you??" She demanded.

He hesitated for a moment before turning around to face her defiantly. "Yeah," He grounded out.

Ashlyn's jaw dropped at his pure nerve. Letting out a disbelieved huff of air, she glanced away and ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "You know what," She whirled back around to face him. "Maybe I don't," Ashlyn concluded coldly, "Otherwise, why would you be acting like such an ARSE?!" She yelled at him. He stepped back as if he was slapped. Ignoring him, Ashlyn continued, "And what IS there to NOT understand?? It always Quidditch this, Quidditch that. Simple!" She scorned.

His face flushed, "That just proved my point," He said hotly. "It's not just a game to me, Ashlyn," His brow furrowed with obvious disappointment and hurt. Rolling her eyes, she crossed her arms and turned her back on him. Running both his hands through his damp hair, Oliver closed his eyes.

"And I suppose that _first year_ understands how important Quidditch is to you?" Ashlyn said bitterly. Oliver's expression immediately grew dark.

"Her name is Demelza," He said testily. "And don't you dare bring her into this."

Feeling another stab of sorrow at his obvious protectiveness, Ashlyn blinked back the tears welling up behind her eyelids. "FINE MAYBE YOU SHOULD GO TO HER THEN!" She shouted. Whirling around, she started to storm out of the changing room.

"FINE WITH ME!" Oliver roared after her. Letting out a strangled sob, Ashlyn fled. Balling his hand into a fist, Oliver swung around and punched the wall behind him. _**Hard**_.

It was not only the pain that made things hard to see.

* * *

END.

Now how about that?

Apologies for the wait, **i-want-cheese**, thanks for throwing the marshmallows; they taste great. I hope we have a deal, **PetiteDiable**. Here's the chapter and I hope you liked it. Well, first years are not allowed on brooms unless they are having Flying lessons so Oliver's coaching is actually not allowed. It will all be explained later on, **OceanSapphire**. Thanks for holding tight. Hope you liked this chapter, **rukia23**! Aw you should give Demelza a chance, **Spikeissexy**. I don't plan on abandoning this story, **Kenya**. I hope to make it all the way to the Wizarding War in Book 7. Wish me luck! Wow **Jenjera**, thanks for the long review. Hope you liked this chapter! You just have to see what happens, **Padfoot2007**! I'm glad you stumbled upon this fic, **carlabellaxox**. Sorry for the long wait and I do hope you continue to review!

Cheers.


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